Over Time
by GHgroupie
Summary: Kristina Corrinthos is starting to grow up and Ethan Lovett is starting to realize it. While she struggles with her new life, he struggles with his new feelings. Several other characters have parts in their story.
1. Chapter 1

**This is not my first fanfic however; it is the first one that I've gotten the courage to ever publish in the last ten years. I always fall in love with the characters then get annoyed when they don't write them the way I want so I spend some time tinkering with the characters and their story on my own. I've read fanfic ever since I was a teenager and have always wanted to find out if anyone liked mine. I'll publish what I have for this story and if you like it, please let me know because I'll publish more!**

**_The start of the story is a little weaker but it gains strength, so please, keep reading! _**

**OVER TIME - Chapter 1: Disappointment**

"I'm sorry honey." Alexis sat down on the patio next to her daughter. "You knew there was a chance that he wouldn't show."

"I thought that maybe after I emailed him about how I booked the hotel, picked the tours, bought tickets for shows and made reservations that he'd see how much I really wanted this." Kristina finally let a tear slip down her cheek after waiting all afternoon sitting on her patio with her bags packed. Sonny hadn't shown for their father-daughter bonding weekend.

"I think that he's still hurting over Brenda leaving and he's definitely not thinking straight. He knows that I will kill him over this." Alexis sighed.

"It's OK Mom. I tried." Kristina swiped at the tear viciously. "I finally tried to get to know him like he asked and give him the chance to be my Dad and he ditched me. I'm not trying again."

"He is your Dad honey;" Alexis said gently as she wrapped her arms around her daughter. "For better or worse he is your father." She rocked her daughter while she cried and sighed.

* * *

><p>"We need to talk." Alexis demanded as Jason opened his door the next day.<p>

"What's up?" Jason asked as she stormed into the living room.

"I had to sit and hold my daughter while she cried for hours on my front porch last night." Alexis informed him.

"What's wrong?" Sam came down the stairs, hearing her mother.

"I had a child with a mobster that suddenly lost interest in getting to know his daughter when she went to such trouble to finally inch towards getting to know him." Alexis cried out in frustration.

"Hold on. Start from the top." Jason put up his hands in defence.

"Kristina asked her dad to take a trip; just the two of them so they could bond a bit." Alexis started.

"They decided to go into the city the weekend before her orientation." Sam confirmed.

"Right. She went ahead and booked everything with the credit card he gave her to use to do that when he confirmed with her." Alexis continued. "She emailed him the whole itinerary three weeks ago. She emailed him again last week to tell him how excited she was about it."

"I don't think he's checking his emails." Jason informed her.

"She didn't know that. So she packed her bags three days ago, certain that he'd show up for their weekend since he told her he'd cleared the weekend for her." Alexis nearly screamed.

"Oh, poor Krissy." Sam was getting the picture. "Sonny never showed up."

"She didn't hear from him. Why would she think she was still going? He hasn't been in town for nearly a month." Jason asked.

"She thought that for once, he was serious about getting to know her and love her like a real father. She inched towards him and he pretty much slammed the door in her face by not showing up." Alexis threw her hands up. "If you know how to get in touch with him tell me now." Alexis stepped towards him.

"I can try but I can't promise anything." Jason sighed.

"You tell him he better have a good excuse and he better be ready to do battle with me because this is nothing like he's ever seen before." Alexis picked up her purse and headed out the door. Sam looked helplessly at Jason who picked up the phone.


	2. Chapter 2: Cats Have Claws

"I thought I told you little girls shouldn't be wandering the docks alone." Anthony sighed as he nearly tripped over Kristina who had been lost in her own thoughts, walking around. He reached out and took her arm in a threatening manner.

"What do you want?" Kristina sighed, breaking her arm free.

"You've saved me a trip." Anthony shrugged. "I was going to visit you at your lovely lake house."

"I don't know why you would." Kristina shook her head.

"I thought maybe you'd like some of my roses to match the pink in your bedroom." Anthony smiled wickedly when her eyes flared. "Your room looks like my Claudia's did at your age."

"You're sick." Kristina's rage unleashed as she began to realize that the only reason this man was bothering her was because she was Sonny's daughter. "You want to make me nervous? Because you don't. What makes me most nervous is that I'm going to have to deal with scum like you my whole life because I couldn't pick who my father is. So take your kind words and gestures that are really meant to be threats and shove them Mr. Zakara." Kristina was so enraged she was advancing on him and gesturing wildly. He put his hands up to defend himself and Kristina began taking her rage out on him; hitting him like it was who she was really mad at in front of her.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Johnny jumped in between them and started to pull her back.

"You've got some fight in you girl, I think I like it more." Anthony laughed.

"That's enough." Johnny yelled back at him, battling to hold back a struggling Kristina. "That's enough." He said, holding her more tightly. "Kristina, it's me!" He dodged her hits.

"Let me go!" Kristina roared. "I've had it! I'm done with the whole thing!"

"Let her go John, see if she can do anything!" Anthony chortled on behind him.

"Get out of here. Now!" Johnny ordered his father. "I'm not kidding. I will deal with you later. Go! Now!" He demanded. Chuckling, Anthony headed away; watching as his son held back a struggling Kristina. When his father disappeared Johnny did his best to calm his voice. "I'm going to let you go Kristina." He felt her body start to soften against him and was absolutely shocked when she was racked with sobs.

"Please don't." He held her closer than he probably should have, given the circumstances and cradled her head against his shoulder as she cried her eyes out.

"It's OK. I've got you." Johnny soothed.

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry." Kristina said softly as she took the glass of water he offered her. Johnny had held her until she had stopped crying then led her back to his warehouse where she took her to his office and sat her down on the couch.<p>

"I'm sorry. I should have known he'd taken a fixation with you." Johnny sighed, sitting on the low table in front of her.

"It wasn't your dad that upset me. I just lost it and blew up at him when he grabbed my arm." Kristina said quietly.

"Want to tell me what upset you?" Johnny countered, leaning forward listening to her. Before Kristina could answer however, the door opened and Ethan strode into the room purposefully.

"You know you can't-" Ethan stopped short, startled at the sight before him. Kristina was obviously upset, hurt and withdrawn on the couch with Johnny, leaning in over her. "What the hell is going on?" He growled.

"I'm fine." Kristina sighed. She didn't want Ethan to see her like a broken bird again.

"Like hell you are." Ethan closed the gap within two steps and laid a hand on her shoulder. "What the hell happened? Did your father-" Ethan's eyes slit towards Johnny.

"I ran into Anthony on the docks and lost it." Kristina sighed, closing her eyes embarrassed.

"I came along and pulled her off of him." Johnny said quietly.

"Come on, let's get you home." Ethan pulled her up.

"I can make it on my own." Kristina sighed, knowing it would do no good to argue.

"I'm sure you can but I'm going to take you." Ethan assured her.

"Kristina." Johnny said gently and she turned to look at him. "We can continue this conversation later if you want."

"Thanks." Kristina smiled weakly at him. Ethan quietly led her out of the warehouse and helped her into the car. He held her door and closed it carefully before climbing in himself. Noticing she had not he leaned over and buckled her seatbelt. He started the car and drove silently until he reached the lake road and instead of turning into the road that led to her house he pulled into the road that lead to the beach. He turned off the car and turned to face her wordlessly.

"I wonder if the water is warm?" Kristina asked, hoping to delay the explanation.

"I don't know." Ethan was patient. She unbuckled her seatbelt and reached for the car door. Ethan followed her and watched as she kicked off the shoes she wore and waded into the water until the water reached about her knees. Kristina had wanted for the first time since she'd met him to put distance between them. She was almost surprised when he appeared beside her; the water barely reaching his calves.

"So?" Ethan prodded.

"It's still warm." Kristina answered hopefully.

"And?" He pushed.

"I attacked Anthony. He made a silly comment and it pushed my buttons when I definitely didn't need to be pushed." Kristina answered.

"And what has you so wound up that you'd attack a crazy like him?" Ethan pondered.

"I don't know." Kristina lied. "I guess it's nerves about school." She desperately didn't want to tell him and come off as the weepy mess she's become around him lately.

"Try again." He suggested gently.

"Can't you leave it alone?" Kristina sighed.

"Not when someone I care about is this upset." Ethan shrugged. And it didn't even give Kristina a lift in her heart to hear he cared about her after waiting so long for him to admit it. Not with the sadness and the hurt surrounding her young heart.

"My dad didn't show." Kristina told him sadly. "I had the whole weekend planned and booked and he didn't show." She knew it sounded whiny and petty and silly but it was the truth.

"Awe, love." Ethan thought of the times he'd seen her on the phone confirming things or the hours he knew she spent researching the perfect things. "It was this weekend; I forgot."

"So did he apparently." Kristina shrugged. "I should have known not to trust him when he said he wanted to get to know me."

"He's been gone a few weeks now Krissy." Ethan reached out and touched her shoulder. "Maybe he honestly did lose track of the dates. No one knows where he is."

"Something that he said has been so important to him for so long shouldn't have slipped his mind." Kristina said simply, reaching up and putting her hand on his.

"Thanks for bringing me home Ethan." She decided she didn't want to talk about it anymore. "I should get in before Mom worries."


	3. Chapter 3: Help Needed

"Hey Molly, Alexis." Michael greeted them when he and Abby entered Kelly's a day later.

"Michael! Abby!" Molly smiled broadly. "Maybe Michael can help with Kristina!" She said brightly to her Mom.

"What's wrong with Krissy?" Michael asked immediately.

"Uncle Sonny didn't show up for their weekend away." Molly informed. "And she's downright depressed."

"I tried to warn her." Michael sighed, pulling up a chair. "She's still not talking to me though, ever since I lied to her about Ethan and Abby. She probably wouldn't listen."

"She's taken it pretty hard." Alexis was honest with him. "I'm surprised she hasn't told you yet."

"I'll try to text her." Michael shrugged.

"Don't bother. She has it turned off." Molly stressed her word. "Her phone." She repeated for effect. "She has it turned OFF."

"This is bad." Michael sat back and looked at Abby; who looked meaningfully at her watch.

"I hate to be a nag Michael, but we need to get back to the office." Abby didn't want to be late over Kristina's latest drama; there always was one. "We only stepped out for a quick lunch."

"You go ahead. I think I'm going to go see Krissy and check in on her. She's still pretty mad at me and I don't know if she'll talk to me right now, but I've got to try." Michael told her. "Can you tell Edward?"

"He's not going to like it Michael." Abby warned.

"He'll understand." Michael decided. "Actually, Molly you can help me there. Remember how Edward promised to give you an interview about business? If you go do that now he'll be less perturbed at me. Can you do that?"

"I can do that!" Molly agreed redily. "I can go back with Abby!"

"I don't know." Alexis sighed. "Molly, you shouldn't get involved with Michael's job."

"I'm not. I'm catching a ride to conduct an interview that I had already requested with Mr. QUartermaine Mom." Molly sighed, picking up her laptop. "It's Ok, isn't it, that I go with you Abby?" She asked hopefully.

"Sure." Abby softened. "I'll even promise to bring you home in time for supper."

"Bye Mom!" Molly kissed Alexis' cheek as she nearly tore out the door.

"I'll walk you to the car." Michael stood and followed Abby out the door; meeting Sam on the way in.

"Hi." She sat down across from Alexis. "How's Krissy?"

"Not good." Alexis sighed. "And I could just kill Sonny."

"I could too." Sam agreed. "I wish I had better news."

"Did Jason speak to him?" Alexis asked.

"He didn't speak to him but he did find out where Sonny is." Same had discussed what she was going to tell Alexis at length with Jason and they had come to a solution. "You and Jason are going to see him tonight. Jason is meeting you at the airport to take you. I'll stay with Molly and Krissy."

* * *

><p>"Hey." Michael opened her bedroom door when she didn't answer. "Listen, Krissy, I know you are still really mad at me but I came to see how you're doing." Michael entered the room and looked down at his little sister, who was curled up in her bed, wound in blankets and dwarfed by pillows. She wouldn't look at him and simply turned over and ignored him. His heart broke as it was the first time that she had ever turned away from him.<p>

"I'm sorry Krissy. I tried to tell you not to get your hopes up." Michael sighed. "I know that you're still mad at me about lying to you about Abby and everything, but please, you're starting to scare me. Talk to me." Michael sat down on the edge of the bed and laid a hand on her shoulder. Still no response.

"Krissy, at least realize what I'm trying to tell you." Michael said gently. "I am trying to tell you that he didn't do it to just you. He's disappeared from all of our lives, but I know it hasn't been easy for you and he hasn't helped by pushing you."

"Krissy; he didn't mean to hurt you." Michael stood up. "He's just chasing after Brenda because she left. He's hurt himself. And he'll be just as upset as you are when he gets home and realized what he's done to you." Kristina continued to ignore him and pulled the covers around her more tightly.

* * *

><p>Sam had the door opened before he actually knocked that night. "Ethan."<p>

"Sam." Ethan nodded at her. "I wanted to check on Kristina. She isn't answering my texts."

"She isn't answering anyone's." Sam let him in the door and closed it behind him. "Her phone is off."

"Can I see her?" He asked just as Molly bounded down the stairs.

"Well, she won't open the door for me." Molly announced and immediately looking hopeful when she spotted Ethan. "Oh, Ethan; good, you're here. She'll definitely open her door for you!" She grabbed his hand and tugged him upwards.

"Hold it little sister." Sam put a stop to that one. "I don't think Mom would be OK with Ethan going up to Kristina's room."

"I know she wouldn't." Ethan agreed. "Why don't you tell her I'm here, that may work."

"I'll try but it won't be the same as you demanding to see her. She wouldn't refuse you." Molly complained, turning up the stairs and marching to Kristina's room.

"Kristina, Ethan's here to see you." Molly called out knocking on the closed door. "Kristina, did you hear me?" Molly tried again. "ETHAN is here." She stressed. She tried a few more times and then walked miserably to the top of the stairs and sat down, staring at Sam and Ethan.

"Just tell her I was here and am here for her, OK?" Ethan asked finally, running a hand through his hair.

"I will." Sam sighed.

* * *

><p>"Let me go in first." Jason told Alexis as they stood outside the door.<p>

"We go in together." Alexis shook her head. "That way, you don't have time to warn him I'm going to kill him."

"Fine." Jason sighed. He opened the door and led the way through the suite to the bedroom where he figured Sonny was since he wasn't to be found in the outer suite. In the bedroom Sonny was wrapped around a brunette; sound asleep. Alexis was outraged and nearly screamed to wake him up however; she spotted something that gave her a better idea. She picked up the bucket with the chilling champagne and read the label. It caught him off guard which meant he missed anticipating her next action. His eyes bulged as Alexis dropped the bottle to the group and tossed the contents of the bucket on the bed. Sonny and the brunette jumped awake, startled by the mixture of ice and water thrown on them. Sonny looked at Jason, cleared his eyes then quietly said a few words in Spanish. The brunette glared, sliding out of bed and disappearing through an archway.

"At least you got the hair color right." Alexis finally spoke, chosing her words carefully. "What in the hell are you talking about and doing here Alexis?" Sonny slurred. It took her a full second to look at him and draw conclusions. Which infuriated her more.

"You are filthy rotten DRUNK." She accused. "You are, aren't you?" She demanded.

"I am." Sonny reached for the glass beside his bed and was startled when she reached out and slapped it away. He rose and pulled on his white shirt, moving slowly around them. "Damn it Alexis." He poured himself another drink from the decanter on his dresser. She simply picked up the decanter and threw it against the wall and watched the brown liquid ran down the wall.

"That;" She said decidedly after her brief study. "Looks like less tears than our daughter shed when you broke her little heart this weekend." She accused.


	4. Chapter 4: Out on Her Own

"How is she?" Michael asked when Sam opened the door the next morning.

"She didn't come out last night. I picked the lock and made sure she was still there and alright." Sam sighed. "She was asleep."

"I didn't know how much this weekend would have meant to Krissy. I would have talked to Dad. I would have asked Jason to get him home." Michael decided.

"Your dad might not be in the best place right now. Brenda left him and he didn't even remember this weekend with Krissy. It might be best that he didn't come and do more damage to their relationship." Sam offered.

"He should have called and let someone know." Michael declared. "At least then she wouldn't have gotten-" The door opened behind them and Alexis and Jason entered the lake house glumly.

"Did you find him?" Sam asked as Michael stood up.

"We found him." Jason confirmed.

"Oh, we found him and tried to drag him home but he wasn't ready to come back here." Alexis confirmed.

"Is Dad OK?" Michael asked.

"He's dealing with Brenda leaving him." Jason informed him. "He's sorry about Kristina and I'm sure that it will add to beating himself up."

"He should let someone else do it." Alexis sat down. "How's Kristina?"

"She's not awake yet." Sam informed. "I checked in on her last night and she was sleeping at least."

"Good. Molly got off to camp OK?" Alexis asked.

"She was too excited about the computer camp and while she wanted to stay and take a look at Kristina, I convinced her to go." Sam told her.

"Good, she shouldn't have missed-" Alexis was interrupted by the phone ringing. She rose and crossed the room to pick it up. "Hello? I'm sorry, she hasn't gotten up yet. This is her Mom though, can I help you?" Alexis listened and then frowned. "I don't understand; she hasn't applied for campus housing. She did? When?" Alexis demanded. "I see. Can you give me a few hours to discuss this with her? Sure, by the end of the day. Thanks." Alexis hung up the phone and looked around her. "Kristina apparently applied for campus housing without telling me and unfortunately, it has become available."

"When did she apply for that?" Sam asked, concerned.

"Do you know anything about this?" Alexis turned to Michael.

"Krissy applied a while ago. She wanted to try and get out of the house I think to have a little more freedom." Michael felt like he was betraying Kristina.

"More freedom to see Ethan." Alexis rubbed her face and sank into the chair. "Well, I guess now instead of hoping she comes out today, I just have to hope she won't come out of her room and we miss the deadline."

"I can't be a part of that." Michael put his hands up. "I can't lie to Krissy again. She still hasn't spoken to me and I'm starting to wonder just how long she'll be angry at me."

"Again?" Alexis tried to clarify, unaware of the Ethan and Abby plan.

"You don't have to. I heard." Kristina had been standing at the top of the stairs.

"Kristina, honey; we have to talk about this." Alexis reasoned. "I thought the plan was to live at home for the first year."

"Your plan." Kristina countered, coming down the stairs. "I want to live on campus Mom and not just to see Ethan when I want. I want some freedom to try things on my own. How can I grow up if you won't give me the room to do so?"

"You've got a perfectly good room upstairs that you've already started to grow up in!" Alexis cried out in frustration.

"I think it's time we go." Sam stood up and sighed as she met Jason's awkward eyes. "Give me a call later." Sam kissed Kristina's cheek.

"I'm going to get to the office too." Michael followed suit. It took less than one minute for them to hastily leave to get away from the argument that was undoubtedly going to take place. "Is Dad really OK?" Michael asked Jason, standing at his car.

"He's hurting. But he had a wakeup call and I think that he might be on his way home soon." Jason told him honestly.

"Thanks." Michael nodded. "We need him around here. Krissy is still so mad at me and I'm hoping when he comes home, she'll be madder at him and start forgetting how mad she is at me."

"Michael, can you tell us why Kristina is mad at you?" Sam asked. She hadn't heard the story yet and knew it had to be bad if it resulted in Kristina not talking to the person that she trusted most in the world.

"Ethan, Abby and I came up with a plan to try and throw Krissy off Ethan." Michael lowered his head, ashamed. "Ethan and Abby pretended to be fooling around behind my back but she's so damn smart: she figured it out."

"What the hell were you thinking?" Jason asked. "I thought that you would treat your sister better than that. You deliberately tried to hurt her."

"I wasn't thinking. It was Abby's plan and I was worried it would backfire. Krissy is volatile and explosive and she doesn't think when she's angry. I should have known better." Michael continued. "When she found out, she was so angry at me. Even with the whole Kiefer thing; she never said the things she said to me. She hasn't spoken to me in almost two weeks."

"So, that's why this whole thing has hit her harder. She feels like she can't trust you or your father; both the men she wants to know will keep her safe." Sam sighed. "Oh, boy. If she doesn't start thinking rationally again soon, this might end up having lasting effects."

* * *

><p>"I just don't see why you need to leave home." Alexis set the cup of tea in front of her daughter. IT was the same sentence she had uttered since they started talking nearly two hours ago.<p>

"And that's why I have to." Kristina simplified. "Mom, I know I'm a brat and a pain in the butt and I make mistakes. But you and Dad are always there to help me out and fix it and then I turn around and make those mistakes again. I want to try a little bit of doing it on my own for a bit. Please; let me try this." Kristina tried to help her case. "I want to be more responsible for myself and my actions. I want to try to learn from my mistakes."

"I can't help feeling like this is just a chance for you to have your own place to get to see Ethan." Alexis stirred her tea.

"Would you please leave Ethan out of this? He's got nothing to do with this and he's not my whole life!" Kristina cried out. Alexis was temporarily shocked and overjoyed to hear those words from the daughter who had thought of nothing but this boy in over a year.

"Well, I guess we could try it." Alexis leaned forward. "But if it doesn't work, you're home by Christmas."

"That sounds good to me." Kristina picked up the phone to call and confirm before her mother could change her mind.


	5. Chapter 5: Clarity

"This is a surprise." Carly smiled broadly when she opened her door to find Jason on the step. "Come on in."

"I wanted to talk to you about Michael." Jason followed her in to sit on the couch.

"Is something wrong?" Carly asked, instantly alert.

"I'm concerned about something going on with him and Kristina." Jason said honestly. "Him and Kristina? He loves that girl more than anything else in the world." Carly shook her head. "Why would you worry about them?"

"Well, I'm a little less worried about them than the effect that Abby might have on them." Jason ran a hand thru this hair.

"OK: Start again." Carly wasn't keeping up.

"Kristina is in love with Ethan Lovett. As you can imagine, everyone is a little concerned. Michael was too, he didn't want her to get hurt, and apparently, they came up with this scam that Abby and Ethan were fooling around behind his back." Jason filled her in.

"Which, Kristina hates Abby as it is, so she had no problem jumping down her throat which then got Michael mad." Carly deducted. "She and I had a talk a while ago and I compared her and Michael to you and I, making Michael her superman."

"Not at all." Jason shook his head. "She saw right through the plan and is furious with Michael for lying and deliberately hurting her."

"Oh, no." Carly sighed. "I can't believe that he would deliberately hurt Kristina."

"That's what I'm worried about." Jason sighed. "It wasn't Michael's plan in the first place; it was Abby's."

"It gets worse." Carly sighed. "What would possess Michael to go along with her? I was beginning to like her a little more. This puts a serious doubt in my head. Was she jealous of Kristina? Does she have something for Ethan? Oh, this is bad. How is Kristina handling this?"

"She hasn't spoken to Michael in nearly two weeks." Jason told her. "And it gets worse."

"How worse can it get?" Carly demanded.

"Sonny and Kristina had a weekend planned in the city this weekend. Since she wasn't speaking to Michael, she threw herself into it." Jason said grimly.

"Oh my god, he didn't show." Carly threw her head into her hands. "Oh, god, she got a double hit from her father and her superhero brother. Poor Kristina."

"I talked to Michael, but I didn't touch on about how it was Abby's idea and maybe, she had a motive with getting in between him and Kristina." Jason told her.

* * *

><p>"Hey man." Ethan slid into Kelly's and sat down across from Michael. "What's going on?"<p>

"I'm just sitting here and asking why in the hell I would go along with a plan that deliberately hurt my sister." Michael told him honestly. "I mean, she has a crush on you. What is so bad about that? I mean, she has had some really crappy taste in men and from what I can see, you aren't all that bad."

"I'm too old for your sister." Ethan replied. "We were just trying to get her to see that."

"Well, I should have protected my sister a little better than I did." Michael decided.

"Pardon me?" Dante happened along at the same time and heard what Michael was saying. "I'm assuming you mean Kristina."

"Look, man, we meant well. I just didn't want to hurt her in the long run." Ethan defended. "I'm sorry if it means that she took this a little hard."

"She took it more than a little hard. She hasn't spoken a word to me in nearly two weeks and I am going crazy worried about her with whatever is going on between her and Dad."

"Does someone want to tell me what's going on?" Dante asked. "If something is wrong with Kristina, I should know. Maybe I can help."

"Can you get her to talk to me again? I don't even know if she will talk to me again." Michael said miserably.

* * *

><p>"Where are you off to?" Alexis asked when Kristina came down the stairs ready to go.<p>

"Chelsea called and asked if I wanted to go to the club." Kristina supplied. "I thought I'd like to get out for a bit and try to forget the troubles of my young life. Is that OK?"

"Sure, that's fine." Alexis assured her. "I think it's good for you to hang out with your friends. People your own age." She stressed.

"Nice hint Mom." Kristina sighed. A car horn sounded outside and she headed to the door. "I won't be late!" On the way out the door her phone beeped with a text. 'Hey: got time for your big brother?'. Kristina climbed in the car with her friends and quickly replied 'Sorry, with friends at the club. Maybe later?'.

* * *

><p>"I'm really not supposed to be here." Michael told Dante. "They banned me, remember?"<p>

"You're with me, the cop, looking for his little sister." Dante assured him. "We won't be long anyways, we just want to say hi and tell her we're here for her."

"She knows we're here for her. She just doesn't want us here for her." Michael sighed.

"She doesn't realize she does, that's all. We'll get by this. Do you see her?" Dante asked, scanning the crowd.

"I don't know." Michael sighed, looking around. His gaze stopped and his eyes widened, seeing his little sister in the smallest bikini he had seen outside some dirty magazines. There was some guy sitting on the end of her chair and rubbing her thigh. "I found her and now," Michael swallowed slowly. "I'm going to kill her."

"Don't go in there like a raging maniac." Dante spotted his sister. "Let me." He strode purposely towards his sister with Michael closely behind. "Hi Kristina."

"Dante." Kristina looked up in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I texted you and you told me you were here. I figured you'd know I'd stop by. Since I'm a very involved and protective older brother. I'm a cop and can arrest people for fun." He looked into the guy's eyes who had been rubbing Kristina's thigh until that minute. "Can we talk?"

"Robert, would you be a doll and give us a few minutes? I'll join you in a few minutes." Kristina purred.

"Well, you sure got better quickly." Michael commented as the guy walked away.

"Dante, what did you need to see me about?" Kristina sighed, totally ignoring Michael.

"That." Dante told her honestly. "I'm worried two of my siblings are hurting each other on purpose. I'm new to the whole sibling thing and I don't want to be rude, but I don't think this is how it's done."

"Would you let me believe that Lulu is sleeping with someone I had feelings for on purpose?" Kristina asked sweetly.

"I did that to protect you." Michael sighed. "And it seems that you still need a little protecting. What the hell are you wearing? Doing?"

"Kristina, I think Michael went about what he wanted to do in a wrong way." Dante agreed. "But I have the same questions about the clothing – I won't lie." He grinned hopefully.

"Thank you for telling me again that it's all about protecting me but you are the first that agrees with me, so I appreciate your understanding my feelings. And," Kristina took a breath, "I'm not going to discuss my wardrobe with you. If any other girl was wearing it, you'd be appreciating it rather than freaking over it. Is there anything else? Because I want to get back to my friends." Kristina stood up.

"Krissy, please." Michael reached out and grabbed her hand. She flinched as if she had been struck. "I'm sorry." Michael said quickly. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Lately, all you've done is hurt me or scare me. Leave me alone." Kristina cried, storming away.


	6. Chapter 6: Doors Open and Close

"How are you holding up?" Carly asked when Alexis opened the door of the Lake House.

"I've been better." Alexis acknowledged, letting Carly in. "Got any tequila?"

"Left it at home. I'm here to see if I can help. I've had a little experience with comforting kids disappointed by Sonny." Carly sat down on the couch. "Kristina has come to talk to me a couple of times and I thought maybe she might open up to me a little bit."

"I can hope." Alexis crossed the room and sat down. "She is really mad at Michael for god knows what for because no one is telling me and hurt about Sonny not showing."

"Well, I've been through the Sonny not showing thing with kids. It takes a while for them to get over that. They learn, unfortunately. I'm hoping less time to get over the Michael thing because this is hurting him as much as it is her." Carly sighed.

"Am I the only one that doesn't know why she's mad at him?" Alexis sighed in frustration.

"Long story short: Michael let Kristina think that Ethan was sleeping with Abby." Carly simplified. "It's not true by the way. They wanted her to get over her crush on Ethan."

Alexis sat forward and opened her mouth. She sat back and closed her mouth. Repeated the sequence of gestures and sighed. "I give up."

"Don't give up. It's just a little drama that will fade away with the crush." Carly sighed.

"I don't know. Everyone's trying to rally around her and she's pushing most people away." Alexis informed as Kristina opened the door.

"Hi honey, how was the club?" Alexis asked brightly.

"I had a good time with my friends." Kristina answered. "Hi Carly." She smiled as brightly as she could. "Is everything all right with Morgan and Josslyn?"

"Well, I noticed you left one of my kids out in that question but I"ll let it slide." Carly raised an eyebrow. "I'm actually here to ask for your help."

"What do you need?" Kristina wouldn't be baited into talking about or helping Michael.

"I am having trouble getting the right hostess for the restaurant at the hotel." Carly decided it was best to ignore the whole issue at the moment. "I'd like someone younger who has a lot of people skills."

"I don't know anyone like that – sorry I can't help." Kristina shook her head.

"I'm looking for you." Carly nodded. "I think you'd be great at it. You would smile and greet the customers, check in on them during their meal, remind them before they leave how much we loved having them. You've got a warm smile and a good heart. We're missing that in the restaurant."

"I don't know Carly; I'm getting ready to start school." Kristina was doubtful.

"I promise we'll work around your schedule and give you regular shifts that you can build your life around." Carly sweetened it. "Come on, sooner or later you're going to want a job and this is the perfect one for you."

Alexis watched Carly work and appreciated it for the first time in her life. "If my opinion matters, I agree with Carly." Kristina and Carly turned to her, gaping. "I know, I never thought I'd say it either."

* * *

><p>"Thank you." Alexis smiled when she walked Carly to the car. "I appreciate it."<p>

"No problem. You know, out of all of the mothers of his children, I know Sonny the best." Carly took a breath. "I used to think Michael was the most like his dad, since he had the most time with him. But I'm starting to realize that it's Kristina who's the most like him."

"I don't know how I feel about that." Alexis sighed.

"The crosses we all bear." Carly grinned getting into her car. "I'll check in with you if anything else happens."

"Bye." Alexis waved, her head spinning with Carly's statements.

"Is that Michael?" Molly asked as she was curled up on the couch watching a movie with Kristina and her phone beeped with a text.

"It's half past so I'm guessing it is." Kristina sighed and reached for it. "Yup." She tossed her phone back on the couch without reading it. He texted her every hour on the half hour.

"Kristina, he is really sorry you know." Molly was worried.

"Hey, this is between Michael and I right now, you don't have to worry about it." Kristina assured her. "I just don't know how I feel about it and what I'm going to do about it yet, just give me time."

"I just love you both and don't want anything to happen to our family." Molly continued. "Things like this can cause rifts that last for years."

"Molly, just butt out of it for now, please." Kristina stood up. "I'm going to get more popcorn."

"I saved a peanut butter cookie just for you." Mike sat a plate down in front of Kristina on the counter at Kelly's.

"Just what I needed. Can I have a late to go with it?" Kristina asked, sliding on a stool.

"Sure. You meeting Michael here?" Mike asked, pouring one for her.

"I'm meeting some friends here, we're going shopping for our dorm rooms." Kristina smiled.

"I thought you were planning on living at home." Mike raised an eye brow.

"Mom's plan." Kristina shrugged. "I just want to get the whole college experience."

"I can understand that. Just avoid the late night parties and any binge drinking." Mike pleaded. "I'll be right back." He went to help another customer.

"Hi." Ethan slid up to the counter a few minutes later. "How are ya?"

"Good." Kristina smiled. "You?"

"Wondering how mad you are at me if you're not speaking to Michael." Ethan answered her question with a question. "I mean, if it's bad enough that you're ignoring him, you must be mad at me."

"The love of my life is supposed to hurt at one point." Kristina shrugged. "My big brother is supposed to protect me from it though, not cause it."

"Michael didn't want to go along with it." Ethan told her honestly. "In fact love-"

"He did. That was his choice." Kristina cut him off as she saw her group of noisy girls coming through the door. "There are my friends, I've got to go." Kristina stood up. "See you around. Bye Grandpa, I love you." She leaned over the counter and kissed Mike's cheek.

* * *

><p>Molly walked down the hallway towards her sister's room and found her mother, sitting on Kristina's bed, looking glumly at the boxes and bags, neatly piled in the middle of the room.<br>"It looks a lot different, doesn't it?" Molly asked. Kristina had packed her room in the last two days and the effect had been staggering. The posters and pictures that had once covered the walls were gone, a lot of the brickabrack that came with a teenage girl was gone; all the items she was taking stowed in boxes and bags all labelled in careful printing.  
>"It does." Alexis sighed. "It's going to be different just you and I here usually, isn't it?"<br>"It's not going to be so different. I'm guessing Kristina will be here all the time, getting away from the campus life. Doing laundry, eating dinners with us and everything." Molly assured her mother. Those were the exact examples though that Sam had given her when she had expressed the same concerns though.  
>"You're so smart." Alexis grinned. "You know exactly the right thing to say."<br>"I had a good trainer. Come on, let's go get some ice cream." Molly invited.  
>"Now you know you're good." Alexis laughed and with one last look around, headed out the door with her sister.<p> 


	7. Chapter 7: Parental Concerns All Around

"Look who came to visit you Josslyn!" Carly watched as Josslyn jumped up from the toys to run and see Kristina. "She really loves you, you know that?"

"The feeling's mutual." Kristina agreed. "Hi Jason."

"How are you Kristina?" Jason greeted from his seat where he had been playing with Josslyn. Mercedes came out of the kitchen.

"It is nap time for this little one, if I can un-wrap her from you." Mercedes laughed.

"Here you go." Kristina handed over the blonde beauty. "I'm good thanks." Kristina knew he knew about her fight with Michael and probably Sonny's no show, but she wasn't getting into it.

"Sam says you've been a real help with the wedding." Jason pushed. "Thanks."

"It's fun to plan a wedding." Kristina grinned. "Carly, I came for two reasons. Firstly, I came to talk to you about the job you offered."

"Did you think about it?" Carly asked.

"Yeah, I did and I think you're right: I would like to work in the restaurant." Kristina answered. "As long as I can keep up with my school work."

"I told you, we'll work around it." Carly smiled. "Oh, you're doing me such a favour with this. What's the other reason? Something to do with Michael I hope?" Carly prodded.

"I'm moving into my dorm tomorrow. Molly, Sam and my Mom are helping but I was wondering if it'd be OK for Morgan to help too? He asked Molly if he could, but I wanted to check. It probably wouldn't be the same without him anyways." Kristina commented.

"I appreciate your checking with me. You know it's all right for him to help you whenever." Carly commented. "But it sounds, if your brother and sisters are helping you out, maybe that it should be all your brothers invited."

"Carly, I know you mean well, but I'm tired of people meaning well." Kristina sighed. "I'm still really mad at Michael. I love him, but I was more hurt by him than anything else."

"I can see that you're not really ready to talk about it and that's fine. When you are ready though, I'll be here for you; I hope you know that." Carly decided not to push any farther.

"I have a question though." Jason asked. "Has anyone taken a look at the security for your new dorm?"

"It's a dorm. There's no gates, no bars on the windows, and no guards. I want it to stay that way." Kristina sighed. "I know that I've never had to live with the guards and everything and that I didn't grow up in Dad's house so I'm not that used to it but I don't want to get used to it."

"Well, I'll feel better if you'd let Max and Milo help you move in." Jason decided.

"Before you say no, you'd better think about the fact that you could leave all the heavy lifting to them." Carly smiled. "That's what I use them for."

"It's not like I have lots of furniture and everything, just small boxes and bags. We'll be good. Thanks for letting Morgan help. I'll text him when we're on our way." Kristina smiled. "Give Josslyn a kiss for me."

"I will." Carly sighed. "Kristina, please just remember that no matter what, your father and your brother love you."

"Then they should start showing it by not hurting me." Kristina said without any emotions, which is what Carly was worried about most.

* * *

><p>"Kristina, this is so cool." Molly stood in the center of the dorm room, surrounded by boxes and bags filled with new purchases, looking around. "I mean, we didn't know it was a single. Those are so hard to get."<p>

"I was kinda hoping for a roommate." Kristina was disappointed.

"You have two at home, you could move back." Alexis pointed out.

"I think I'll stay here." Kristina rolled her eyes.

"Molly, let's go check out the common room." Morgan urged. He had caught a peek of it while moving in bags and boxes and was dying to go back.

"Can we Mom?" Molly asked.

"Sure." Alexis smiled as they ran off. "Well, should we start unpacking?"  
>"I'd kind of like to do that on my own." Kristina told her. "Get a feel for everything, you know."<p>

"I know. I just feel like I didn't prepare you enough." Alexis sighed.

"You got me a fridge and a meal plan. You've got it covered." Kristina grinned. "Look, Mom, I know this is going to be hard. It's going to be hard for me too. But it's something I really want to do. If it gets to be too much, you know I'll be home in two minutes."

"Just promise me that you aren't going to start excessive partying, becoming addicted to anything, or come home pierced, tatooed or pregnant." Alexis closed her eyes.

"Have a little faith in me, will ya?" Kristina was indignant.

"I have faith in you, just not the rest of the world." Alexis decided. "I do trust you, you know that, right?"

"I know Mom. Now I just got to learn to trust myself." Kristina admitted.

* * *

><p>"Can we come in?" A blonde girl asked from Kristina's door.<p>

"Sure. I'm Kristina." Kristina smiled, unpacking her clothes.

"I'm Amber and this is Casey." The brunette smiled. "We live next door."

"Right or left?" Kristina grinned.

"Left. Right is a couple of guys. You'll be hearing Xbox all night." Casey wrinkled her nose.

"Great. Call of Duty all night long." Kristina laughed. "I may pick up ear plugs."

"Hey, we're going to a party tonight. Want to come? It's always better to have a second person to hold her up after too many drinks." Amber pointed at Casey.

"Sounds good to me." Kristina grinned, pleased to have met some new friends already.

* * *

><p>"Dodger." Luke acknowledged Ethan when he boarded the Haunted Star.<p>

"Luke." Ethan saluted. "Are we open for business again?"

"We are indeed. The wind feels right." Luke decided on the spot. "How's life?"

"It goes." Ethan answered.

"Better than not." Luke challenged.

"Not better not worse." Ethan shrugged, not giving a real answer.

"Then there must not be a woman for you to sniff around lately." Luke hypothesized.

"None to speak of in a polite manner." Ethan grinned.

"Which is so many with men like us." Luke smiled. "Woman worth talking about usually lead to talking about problems."

"Mostly." Ethan agreed. "They are fickle things aren't they?"

"You don't even know the half of it my boy, not yet." Luke tipped a glass to his lips.

"I don't think I want to know the rest of it." Ethan decided.

"You can say that now because you haven't met the one that trips you up yet." Luke matched. "Because when she shows up your world will be topsy turvy more than right."

* * *

><p>"Hi Mom." Michael greeted Carly at his office later that day.<p>

"Well, this is fancy." Carly looked around. "ELQ treats their employees well I see."

"I'm told we have excellent benefits." Michael shrugged. "It's good to see you visiting me at work."

"I wanted to talk to you about something." Carly sat down in the chair across from him.

"What's up?" Michael asked curiously.

"I heard about your fight with Kristina." Carly told him honestly. "I am concerned."

"So am I." Michael admitted. "Mom, I've never seen Krissy so mad."

"Kristina has her father's temper." Carly asserted. "And since she has that, she's probably got the ability to hold a pretty good grudge too."

"Uh huh." Michael agreed. "Mom, I hurt her bad. I didn't think about it hard enough. I was just listening to everyone telling her that Ethan was too old for her. Her parents, Sam, Jason. Everyone seems to think he's too old for her."

"What do you think?" Carly asked.

"I know now I didn't think about how this would hurt her." Michael sat back.

"I mean, what do you think about Ethan?" Carly asked.

"What do you mean?" Michael asked.

"Do think you think Ethan is bad for Kristina?" Carly simplified.

"I think that he is not the kind of man that I would have picked for Krissy. But, he is a good man from what I have seen and he does take very good care of her. The age difference isn't a good thing though." Michael answered.

"How old is Ethan?" Carly asked the question.

"He's 24." Michael answered.

"So, that's five years between he and Christina." Carly calculated. "Isn't that almost the exact same age difference between you and Abby?"

"Thanks Mom." Michael said after a minute.

"And Michael, you know I like Abby." Carly started. "But I don't like that it was her plan and she convinced you to go along with hurting Kristina. You know I've said that I think your relationship is very much like mine and Jasons." She stood up. "And while no one else believed it, I didn't forget that sometimes Jasons' girlfriends didn't like me and tried to get between us at every opportunity. He never let any of them do it for long."


	8. Chapter 8: Premature Parties

"Why are we here again?" Ethan asked Johnny. They were standing in a rather odd part of Port Charles, a business district that held a few open bars and restaurants at night.

"I told you." Johnny shook his head. "The Lopez brothers have starting something new and they're catering to a new crowd. I've got to be aware of it. So we my friend, are going into the neighbourhood for a few beers to see if we can see anything."

"I can deal with a few beers. I can't deal with flying bullets. There's no danger for us in this?" Ethan checked.

"None, we're out for beers." Johnny grinned. "Just enjoying the view." He tilted his head to some passing girls.

"Hi Boys." One of the girls started forward.

"Ladies." Ethan grinned, once again appreciating the invention of a mini-skirt.

"We're going to a party. Want to join us?" She invited, cocking one leg catching Ethan's eye.

"I think we're going to pass." Johnny laughed. "Thanks anyways though."

"Party's that way if you get bored here." The girl shrugged and headed off a little bit down the road. "School's back in session." Johnny smirked. "Can you imagine that that's going to be Kristina before the end of the year?" Johnny asked casually.

"What are you talking about?" Ethan eyed his friend.

"Well, those girls are definitely not 21 and they are definitely from PCU." Johnny led him to the bigger picture. "Kristina at some point this year will probably end up dressed up like that and heading to some party."

"Yeah, about this party." Ethan drew his eyes together. "What is it and where is it that it allows underage's in?"

"They probably have fake IDs." Johnny shrugged.

"They would have said bar. They said we're going to the party." Ethan corrected. "Let's take a walk."

"I hate to say it, but you're right." Johnny headed off in the general direction the girls had pointed.

* * *

><p>"This is why I came to college." Casey yelled in Kristina's ear.<p>

"This is pretty cool." Kristina agreed, looking around. She hadn't had anything to drink, claiming that she wasn't feeling well anyways but it didn't seem to matter to Amber and Casey that she wasn't drinking. They partied right along with her. They were dancing on boxes raised above the dance floor; laughing and feeling free.

* * *

><p>"There's Manny Lopez." Johnny squinted in the darkness. "This is what they're working. The university crew. What the hell are they doing?"<p>

"They're capitalizing. They can't run big shipments through Sonny and Jason so they're trying to raise capital. An old warehouse, turned into a club will give them money." Ethan decided. They were in an old warehouse with steel walls as back drop and graffiti art covering the walls. A few flashing lights, a dance floor, a DJ. It's really a big party.

"There's no booze. That's the draw. They're going to get everyone underage in here." Johnny realized. "Look at the bar." Ethan glanced over and saw that the bar was shockingly filled with bright bottles and big glasses that weren't filled with the usual liquids. "They're making a mint off kids who just want to party like a rock star."

"There's enough of them." Ethan scanned the crowd of people. He was impressed with the idea. He was sure that they were running something illegal with it but it would take more time to figure that out. His gaze passed what was the dance floor and was drawn to the middle where there was a group of girls dancing for the crowd. He watched, appreciating their balance on the high ice picks they were teetering on and the ability of some materials that could stretch in some places but just be so tight and hold on. The one in the white caught his attention with her hip movement. The way the dress clung to a band around her thighs but billowed on her body left a man wonder just what was above those legs and below those bare shoulders. She tossed her long dark hair over her shoulder and the girl behind her laughed about it hitting her. When the girl in white turned around, Ethan felt like he had been punched in the gut when he watched Kristina laugh.

"What do you see?" Johnny asked, feeling Ethan go straight next to him.

"Trouble." Ethan couldn't take his eyes off her. "You remember how you said before the end of the year it'd be Kristina?"

"She always was a little head of the schedule." Johnny shrugged. "Where is she?"

"Dance floor. White." Was all Ethan could manage.

"Well, look at little Krissy now." Johnny whistled.

"Don't." Ethan nearly growled.

"Do you think they know who she is?" Johnny glanced at the youngest Lopez brother and surrounding family, watching from the top floors in a roped off area. "She doesn't look like her usual self."

"I don't know. None of them are watching her." Ethan glanced up quickly then back.

"You can't take your eyes off of her." Johnny told him. "Sure you think of her as just a little kid now my friend?"

"Go to hell." Ethan bit off.

"Listen, you need to be easy about this. You're a known friend of mine and if they see you watching her, they`re going to figure something out." Johnny told him.

"I can't just leave her here." Ethan told him, forcing himself to look around.

"Is she really in that much danger or are you just acting over protective on her?" Johnny asked.

"She is at a club where there are probably drugs passed through this place like candy. She is the daughter of one of their biggest competitors. They figure this out and she's in danger." Ethan decided what he was going to do.

"Well, I certainly can't approach her." Johnny decided, "And you're out as we've already decided. What do you want to do?"


	9. Chapter 9: Brotherly Instincts

"I got a tip." Lucky turned to Dante. "There's a club that's got a lot of underage kids in it down in the warehouse district."

"Let's go take a look." Dante decided, turning the car in that direction.

"This is most definitely the place." Lucky decided, watching kids wander in and out of a large box building. "They are definitely under age too."

"Let's take a look." Dante parked the car and they headed to the door.

"PCPD." Lucky showed his badge. "Mind if we take a look around?" He taunted the door man.

"Go ahead. Nothing but little girls drinking soda pop officer." The door man shrugged. Dante and Lucky strode in carefully taking the place in.

"Ethan had to know what this is. Why the hell would he lead us here?" Lucky asked.

"There's got to be a reason." Dante scanned the crowd. "But if they're passing anything they aren't any more after we announced ourselves. Manny Lopez is up there, watching the show."

Lucky looked around and took in more details. His gaze swept around the room looking for what his brother saw and stopped when his brother's eyes bore a hole in his. He felt his phone on his hip and reached for it. The text read 'WHITE'. Lucky looked back at Ethan and where his head slightly tilted to the dance floor. His eyes scanned the girls dancing on the floor and stopped when his eyes realized what the white was that Ethan was talking about.

"Do you remember when we talked about how brothers have to look out for their little sisters?" Lucky asked Dante, who was still scanning the bar looking for anything unusual.

"Yeah, when I found out Kristina was mine." Dante turned to him. "Why?"

"Your brotherly instincts should be kicking in right now." Lucky decided. "Take a look at the girl in the white dress on the dance floor."

"Oh, good god." Dante took in a deep breath. "What the hell am I supposed to do about that?"

"Not throw her over your shoulder and run out of here screaming at her." Lucky grinned.

"Well, I've got about thirty steps to figure it out." Dante set off in that direction. He walked over to the dance floor and threaded his way into the sea of gyrating bodies. Reaching the blocks where Kristina teetered about the crowd he reached up and grabbed her hand. She gave her hand a slight tug to free it, but he held on.

* * *

><p>Kristina looked down for the face attached to the hand that wouldn't let hers go and was about to snarl at it however got stopped dead in her tracks as she spotted Dante.<p>

"Guys, I gotta go." Kristina turned brightly to Casey.

"What, why?" Casey demanded. "We're having so much fun." Her gaze followed Kristina's caught hand and grinned. "Never mind, I'd be heading out with this one too."

"This is my brother. I'll see you tomorrow?" She asked hopefully.

"You got it." Casey hugged her. Turning, Kristina leaned down and put her hands on Dante's shoulder. He carefully lifted her down, amazed at how light she was, and set her on her feet. He led her off the dance floor and through the crowd to the door where Lucky waited.

"Hi Lucky!" Kristina grinned and waved at him.

"Kristina." Lucky smiled back. "Having a good time?"

"I was." Kristina shrugged her shoulders. "I'm guessing my night is over?"

"Yup." Dante agreed. "We're going to go get some coffee and talk."

"I am going to head back to the station to fill in some paperwork and then I'll see you tomorrow." Lucky decided, holding the door open for Kristina. "I'll get a patrol car to pick me up."

"Lucky, did you ever drag Lulu out of a party where there was no alcohol and she was safely dancing with her friends?" Kristina asked sweetly while sliding into the front seat.

"Nope." Lucky shook his head. "But she also wasn't Sonny Corrinthos' daughter dancing in a club that was run by a few of his worst enemies." He countered. Kristina sat back and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Thanks man. See you later." Dante climbed into the drivers side and turned on the radio. They could wait to talk, hopefully when she had calmed down a bit.

* * *

><p>"Thanks." Dante smiled at the waitress who filled their cups at Kelly's.<p>

"No problem. I'll bring over that pie." She promised, heading away.

"So, want to tell me what was going on tonight?" Dante asked.

"I didn't know I'd be in danger at an underage club where there was no liquor. My friends asked me to go and I thought it sounded fun." Kristina sighed. "How was I supposed to know it was Johnny's club? And really, I'd be OK in Johnny's club; he doesn't want to hurt me."

"It wasn't Johnny's club." Dante wasn't about to tell her that Johnny had been there however. "It was someone else's who wouldn't be as nice to you as Johnny has been."

"How am I supposed to know that?" Kristina sighed in exasperation. "I can't help it if half this town hates Dad."

"I know that it's harder for you." Dante told her honestly. "You're growing up and want to do the same things as other girls your age and you've got all of this stuff; these rules that you don't know that you have to follow; and these people that you don't know that just want to hurt you." He leaned forward. "And it's all a part of growing up. You're just going to have to start thinking about things and asking questions and paying attention."

"I just want to be able to live my life without the fact that I'm his daughter." Kristina ground out. "It's not fair that my life is totally altered because of him. How am I supposed to grow up, to do things, to have fun with my friends if I have to second guess every move that I make?"

"There's no doubt that you're going to grow up Kristina; I mean, look at you." Dante indicated her outfit. "And there's no stopping it. You are going to grow up. How you do it is ultimately up to you."

"It doesn't feel like it." Kristina sighed. "It feels like I am being treated like a little girl in soft gloves with people telling me what I can and cannot do without asking me what I want to do. How to act, how to feel, how to look."

"You are a breathtakingly beautiful girl with so many talents and you're so damn smart." Dante grinned. "Too smart in so many ways. You have so much to offer this world and you will, trust me. You just gotta figure out the next couple of years of murky ways until you're an adult. Really an adult." He corrected when she took a breath. "Independent, with a career and a life that doesn't include being threatened by him."

"Here's to that." Kristina sighed, inserting her fork into the pie the waitress had wordlessly slipped in between the siblings.

"And I'm there for you. When you need or want to talk or if you want my advice." Dante told her, grabbing his own fork. "Except on fashion because I'm always going to tell you to cover up."

"Give me a break. There were girls in there wearing much less than what I am." Kristina laughed.

"Yeah, but they weren't my little sisters." Dante laughed back.


	10. Chapter 10: Hellos and Goodbyes

A week later Kristina laid in her bed listening to the sounds of an exciting video game tournament next door. She flicked on her Ipod and chose a song to hopefully fall asleep to. Settling in, she listened as the music filled her room, covering the sounds of the game. She was almost asleep when there was a quiet knock at her door. She crawled out of bed and padded to the door. She nearly gasped when she saw Ethan through the peephole and opened the door.

"Hey." She stood back and let him in.

"Hi." He came in the room and adjusted to the dimmed room. Lights shone through the binds and there was a warm glow from a lamp on the table across the room. She closed the door behind him and crossed the room to lean against the shelves in front of the window. "Sorry if I woke you."

"You didn't. What are you doing here?" Kristina asked.

"I got word from Luke. He needs my help. I just wanted to let you know that I'm heading out of town." Ethan told her. He had debated over telling her but the fact was is that Kristina may have talked a good game but he knew that between Sonny and Michael, she couldn't take another man in her life just disappearing. Surprisingly, he didn't want to just disappear from her life. And he wasn't sure how he felt about that either.

"Bye." Kristina gulped after a pause.

"Not going to ask how long I'm going for?" Ethan asked, bemused.

"It doesn't matter if I do, does it?" Kristina asked sadly.

"It does." Ethan admitted aloud. "It really does." He repeated.

"How long are you going for?" Kristina asked after a minute of wondering what it meant that it mattered to him.

"Only a few weeks I hope, but I'm not sure." Ethan answered, pleased that she asked. "I plan on coming back Krissy."

"Sometimes things don't go as we planned." Kristina sighed.

"Hey, this will because there is no plan." Ethan approached her, deliberately tucking his hands in his pockets. "No travel plans at least. Just a plan on coming home."

"You're calling this home now?" Kristina asked curious.

"I have family here. I have friends here. You're here." He grinned a bit. "I guess I've got some roots. Wasn't looking to put them down and don't know if they'll hold; but they're there for now."

"They'll hold." Kristina reached up and touched his face. "As long as you want them to." When her fingertips brushed his face he looked down at her and she let her hand drop.

"I do." Ethan sighed. "I'm surprised I want them to; but I do."

"I'm glad." She grinned back. "Be safe."

"I am doing that a whole lot more now." Ethan smiled. "You too?"

"I guess I'm doing that a whole lot more too." Kristina grinned, dropping her gaze.

"Can't say I'm not glad about that." Ethan decided. "Stay away from Anthony and if he comes near you, let Johnny know."

"I will." Kristina agreed.

"Promise." Ethan asked her. "This is serious Krissy."

"I promise." She repeated.

"I can't tell you I'll be able to get messages either." Ethan told her worriedly. "But if something isn't going right, you need to tell Michael or Dante."

"I'm going to be fine." Kristina sighed.

"I better go." Ethan decided. His hand reached out and caught in her hair. "I'm going to miss you. I have lately."

"I'll miss you too." She knew she would.

"Come here." He pulled her in for a hug. "I'll see you in a bit." When he released her he headed to the door and winked at Kristina before it closed behind him. She got back in bed and curled up into a ball; letting her tears mix with wonder at what had happened tonight.

* * *

><p>Kristina settled into some routines. She enjoyed her classes and the work that they came with. She had always worked hard at school so it wasn't as if it was hard to adjust to the amount of work. She started work at the hotel and was pleased to earn some money and loved her job. She was really good at it too; or so Carly told her. She had dinner at her Moms at least once a week and still spent time with Molly. She had new friends and acquaintances and was working on doing normal things with them. Despite the ending to her first night out with Casey and Amber, they were still around and she really liked them.<p>

"Studying again?" Casey demanded walking into her dorm room. "I thought you were going to quit doing that for a bit."

"I tried, didn't work for me." Kristina grinned. "What's up?"

"We are going to take a kick boxing class." Amber announced, flopping on Kristina's bed.

"You are why?" Kristina asked incredulously. It wasn't as if any of them worked out.

"We are." Amber stressed. "For fun and so we can become bad ass chicks."

"I already am a badass chick." Kristina giggled.

"You can say that again." Carly decided from the doorway.

"Carly." Kristina did a double take at the sight of Carly in her dorm. "What are you doing here?"

"I just stopped by." Carly shrugged, came in and sat in one of the bowl chairs across from the girls. "I'm Carly. I'm Kristina's ex-step-mom."

"This is Casey and Amber." Kristina introduced. "Carly's also a great boss. She owns the hotel."

"Hey, if you ever need anyone else for a sweet job like Krissy's, give me a call." Casey laughed.

"We're going to sign us up for those kickboxing classes." Amber reminded. "Monday nights in the student gym."

"Sure." Kristina sighed. "Add my name to the list."

"I was going to anyways." Amber grinned. "We'll be back before dinner."

"Nice to meet you Carly." Casey waved, following Amber out the door.

"So, what's really up?" Kristina turned to Carly. "It must be serious or you would have asked me at work."

"No, if I had of asked you at work you would have felt like you had to do what I'm going to ask you to do and I really, really want you to want to." Carly told her.

"What if I don't want to do it?" Kristina had been prepared for this as the date she knew so well was drawing near.

"I think that you know as well as I do that Michael is absolutely miserable without his best friend in his life." Carly told her honestly. "And it's his birthday. The whole family is coming and it wouldn't be the same without you."

"Carly, a lot of time has gone by." Kristina told her.

"Right. Enough for you to know that Michael knows he was wrong to do what he did. And enough for you to know that you need him to be your superman and that you miss him. You can't tell me that you don't." Carly decided.

"You're right." Kristina was almost embarrassed at the way she acted. "Can you tell me why I keep making these stupid mistakes and then can't get out of them?"

"Nope." Carly laughed. "I made so many myself that I lost track. But I know that Jason was there every single time to dig me out and have my back. That's why you need Michael."

"I've missed him." Kristina told her honestly. "But I don't know if he'll forgive me."

"Honey, he wouldn't even think twice. The surprise is at six o'clock sharp at Kelly's; don't be late." Carly stood up.

* * *

><p>Kristina was the last to arrive to the party before Michael did. She greeted her family and looked around in wonder that while it was extremely dysfunctional; it worked. Her mother and Carly chatted in the corner while Sam and Jason played with Josslyn. Molly and Morgan were listening to Max and Milo. Mike was talking to Dante and Lulu over the counter. Monica and Edward sat watching stiffly at a table in the corner while Abby tried to charm them. Balloons floated in the air and streamers hung from the ceilings.<p>

"OK guys, get ready: he is on his way." Carly said excitedly. They all stood up and grouped themselves together and when Michael opened the door they all yelled 'SURPRISE'. To his credit, he did truely look surprised. But it was more to see Kristina there. He walked towards her and stood there awkwardly; wondering if she was there because she wanted to be or because someone had made her be.

"Happy birthday big brother." Kristina smiled tentatively; wondering if he would be mad at her for being there.

"It is now." Michael grinned and picked her up in a big bear hug. He nearly crushed her ribs as his hold just tightened. "I love you, you know that?"

"I know. And I love you too." Kristina whispered in his ear. "I'm sorry."

"You don't need to be. I am enough for the both of us." Michael wouldn't let her go.

"Well, since you two are now talking again, can we please celebrate?" Carly demanded.

"We definitely need to start eating because I've got enough food back there to feed an army." Mike called out.

"Then let's eat!" Michael called out happily.

* * *

><p>He watched as they all interacted inside with pride. His children loved each other; you could see it. When they surrounded a huge cake and began to sing he hesitated until Michael blew the candles out and then while the cake was cut he decided he wanted into this world again. He quickly ducked into the diner and looked around while everything in the place stopped to stare at him.<p>

"Dad." Michael said dumbfounded. "You're back."

Kristina was as shocked as anyone to see Sonny standing in that doorway and certainly wasn't prepared for it.

"I wouldn't ever miss your birthday Michael." Sonny declared. It was at that minute that Kristina's heart broke into a million little pieces. Molly, Morgan and Michael threw themselves into Sonny's arms. Sonny turned to her and reached for her. In the split second that followed she doubted what she should do but decided she was tired of publically breaking down. She leaned in and hugged her Dad.

"Glad you're home Dad."

"It's good to be home." Sonny acknowledged; surprised she would even speak to him. "We need to talk."

"Not during Michael's party." Kristina shook her head.

"Welcome home." Mike pulled his son in for a hug and Jason pounded on his back; giving Kristina a chance to break away. She managed to get through the rest of the night without being close to Sonny again. She evaded her mother's looks and Michael's gazes. When Sonny was in the kitchen she saw her chance and announced she had to get back to get some studying done and listened to Carly comment on how she must be studying much more than Michael does because he never leaves a party to study. She grinned and kissed her family goodbye. She grabbed her coat and her purse and stepped out into the cooling October air. She watched inside as her father came out of the kitchen and talked with the rest of them; not noticing that she had left. Tears flowed freely down her face and she felt feelings rage inside her; battling her common senses and her heart's words.


	11. Chapter 11: Crazy Concerns

"What are you doing here?" Johnny asked, opening the door to Kristina. It took a second to see the condition she was in; broken and bruised with tears running down her face. "Kristina, are you OK?"

"When you said I scared you because I reminded you of Claudia?" Kristina choked out. "I'm scared because it's coming true." Johnny sighed and pulled her inside. While he led her to the couch she couldn't sit down. She was up; pacing and crying.

"Kristina, what's going on?" Johnny asked.

"My father came home today." She told him. "He came home foe Michael's birthday."

"OK." Johnny followed her with his eyes.

"He stood there and declared he'd never miss Michael's birthday in a million years but he had no problem blowing me off." She cried out.

"I see." Johnny didn't really know the situation, but recognized the feelings he had known destroyed Claudia.

"And you keep telling me that you see these same things in me that were in Claudia and I'm scared. I'm scared I'm going to be like her and lose my mind." Kristina sobbed.

"Hey, come here." It broke Johnny's heart and he jumped up and wrapped her up in his arms. "Calm down. It's going to be OK. I promise, it's going to be OK."

* * *

><p>"What are you doing?" Lulu asked when she saw Dante sneak out to the kitchen.<p>

"I'm going to go find Kristina." Dante told her. "No matter what she says she must be upset because she wouldn't have left so quickly.

"Are you sure she wants you to follow her?" Lulu asked. "I mean, she did take off to be alone."

"I don't think she did and I'm guessing I know where she went." Dante decided. He had texted Lucky and didn't really get the answer he was looking for.

"Where's that?" Lulu didn't like the grim look on his face.

"I think she went to Johnny Zacchara." Dante told her.

"Who went to see Johnny Zacchara?" Sonny asked, coming in the kitchen with a plate of food. He looked between Lulu and Dante, expecting an answer. "I'm asking you a question. Who went to see Johnny Zacchara?"

"Didn't you even notice Kristina left?" Dante sighed.

"What?" Sonny looked back through the hole into the kitchen and scanned the dining room.

"You won't find her." Dante told him. "She was really hurt by you this summer and on top of what Michael did to her; this has been a really, really rough summer on her. I'm just going to go check on her."

"Why-" Sonny broke off. "Why would she go to Johnny?"

"Ethan is gone." Dante shrugged. "I'm thinking she'll probably want to find him and Johnny is the only one who could probably find him."

"Ethan left town about a month ago and no one knows where he went. He left without telling anyone he was going or where he was going." Lulu told Sonny.

"That's not totally true." Molly spoke up. She had headed to the kitchen to find more pizza.

"Is that right Molly?" Dante smiled, not wanting to worry the girl. "What do you know that we don't?"

"Well, I was sad because I hadn't seen Ethan in a while so I asked Kristina if we could go see him." Molly began. "Kristina told me that he had shown up at her place late at night one night to tell her that he was leaving town to go help his family out but he promised her he'd be back for her. Well, I think it's to be back for her; why else would he tell her he was coming back?" Molly said dreamily.

"If he was helping his family out, I would know what he was doing though." Lulu was confused.

"Not if he was going to meet Luke." Dante said slowly. "Think about it. Ethan took off just after you got home and we had shut down that house."

"I don't care about Ethan Lovett right now." Sonny interrupted. "I care about my little girl and if she went to see Johnny."

"Uncle Sonny, Johnny likes Kristina. He wouldn't ever hurt her on purpose. He promised me, Mom and Sam that." Molly insisted. "She's safe with him."

"I don't know about that Molly; so I'm going to go check on her, just to make sure." Dante said gently.

"I'll go too." Sonny started.

"No." Dante snapped. "Listen, if Kristina is there it's because she's upset and you going in there will make it worse. Let me take care of it."

"OK." Sonny sighed. "Go take care of your sister."

* * *

><p>"Is Kristina here?" Dante asked when Johnny opened the door a little while later. Johnny looked over his shoulder and saw Kristina lower her head.<p>

"She's not up to seeing anyone right now." Johnny decided.

"I just want to make sure she's OK." Dante told him.

"She's safe with me." Johnny answered.  
>"I'm not leaving until I see my sister." Dante shrugged.<p>

"Johnny, it's OK." Kristina realized he wouldn't. Dante raised an eyebrow and moved past Johnny. "I'm OK." She told him when he sat down next to her.

"You don't look it." Dante was honest. "I'm worried."

"I'm fine." Kristina repeated. "I was surprised to see Dad, that's all."

"We all were but it doesn't mean we were all happy about it. You have been pretty mad at him." Dante reminded her.

"I haven't been mad at him." Kristina corrected. "I've been disappointed and hurt by him; over and over again."

"Running to Johnny won't help the situation." Dante reasoned. "You know how that turned out last time."

"Johnny listens to me and understands what it's like." Kristina shook her head. "He's my friend and I feel like I can talk to him."

"You know, I thought we got to a place where you thought you could talk to me." Dante was a little hurt.

"I know I can talk to you about some stuff. But this is different." Kristina shook her head. "I have a lot going on in my head. I'm one mixed up crazy girl."

"Well, why don't we go and talk about this somewhere else?" Dante asked, looking at Johnny who was standing with his arms crossed leaning on the table.

"If you could just take me home I'd appreciate it." Kristina stood up. "I'm tired and I have class in the morning."

"You got it." Dante stood and watched as she crossed to Johnny and hugged him.

"Thanks." She murmured into his ear.

"Anytime." Johnny answered, hugging her back. "Remember what I said."

"I will." Kristina promised. Johnny put a hand to the back of his neck and rubbed as he walked her to the door. Dante glared at him as he followed Kristina out the door. Johnny closed the door, crossed to the bar and drank two fingers of whisky. He sighed and drank two more. He sighed then picked up his keys and headed out the door himself.


	12. Chapter 12: Catching Up

"Dante said that something happened with Michael and Kristina." Sonny asked without asking. He and Jason were sitting in his living room after the party and Jason was catching him up. Dante had texted him and told him he had Kristina and she was safe.

"Michael went a long with a plan that had it look like Abby was sleeping with Ethan to get Kristina to lose interest in him." Jason told him. "It was pretty bad. She didn't speak to him for a long time. Until tonight that is."

"Michael was only protecting her from that idiot Lovett." Sonny declared.

"But I hurt her in the process." Michael walked in. "And I was wrong. Ethan isn't such a bad guy and it's not like he's hurt her." Sonny stared at him with his mouth hanging open. "I'm not saying that he's the type of guy that I want Krissy to be with but I think that she could do a whole lot worse. She did." Michael reminded.

"And what in the hell did Molly mean when she said Kristina's place?" Sonny was confused. "She's not living with Alexis anymore?"

"She's living at a dorm on campus." Michael answered.

"How the hell are we supposed to keep her safe there?" Sonny demanded.

"I've got a guard patrolling the grounds and keeping an eye on her room." Jason sighed. "It's the best I can go. I tried to get her a guard and Alexis had a fit."

"The security is decent there anyways Dad. I couldn't even get in to see her when I wanted to." Michael informed him. Max came in the room and cleared his throat.

"Johnny Zacchara is here." Max announced and Sonny laughed out loud.

"Send him in." Sonny decided.

"I want to talk to you about Kristina." Johnny announced. "Alone."

"I want to talk to you about my daughter too." Sonny decided. "Michael, wait upstairs."

"If it's about Kristina-" Michael began but stopped when Jason put a hand on his chest. Without finishing the sentence, Michael headed up the stairs and out of sight.

"That's as alone as you're getting." Jason stated.

"You need to be very careful how you treat that young woman Sonny." Johnny started. "You and I both know what living with my father did to Claudia and Kristina is on the same path if you keep hurting her the way my father hurt Claudia." Johnny took a breath. "She is a head case with what being your daughter has done to her and she is going to crack soon."

"Don't tell me about my daughter." Sonny growled. "She shouldn't be around the likes of you."

"I promise you that Kristina is under no threat from me. Now, I don't know when another bomb's going to be strapped under my car but that's a chance we both take." Johnny reminded him. "But the one thing I haven't done is break her into a million little pieces and still come back to do it again, over and over again like you have. Either be there for her; the whole way or don't be there at all. Trust me, you don't want to let Michael watch his sister go mad and try everything he could to save her but still have her die in the end. You would be no better than him." He turned on his heel and walked out the door.

* * *

><p>"Thank you very much." Sonny thanked the RA that had let him into Kristina's room.<p>

"No problem. I hope Krissy likes you surprising her." The girls smiled and backed out of the room. Sonny looked around the room that was smaller than the pantry in his house. There was a bed along one wall, covered in a pretty purple bedspread. There was a mountain of mismatched pillows on it and a blanket on the end of it. Above her bed the words "Live like there's no tomorrow, Love like you've never been hurt, and Dance like no one is watching" scrolled along the wall. He looked at the pictures on her dresser. There was one of her and Molly; another of them and Alexis. There was one of Morgan and Molly he didn't recognize and one of her and Michael front and center. There was one of Kristina and Mike at Kelly's. The last one was all his kids at his surprise birthday party. He looked over to where there was a small couch and three chairs grouped around a table littered with magazines and papers. Beside her bed there was a table with a globe light and an alarm clock. The picture in the silver frame caught his eye and he sighed. It was of her and Ethan at his wedding; dancing and smiling at each other. His little girl looked very much in love and grown up. Much more than he realized at the time. The computer screen was playing a screen saver of pictures. He sat on her desk chair and watched as pictures flipped across the screen. In nearly an hour, he hadn't seen one twice and had a better picture of his little girl and who she had become. He almost winced at realizing that while everyone in Port Charles had been in one of those pictures, including one of her and Johnny and a few of Max and Milo; there wasn't one of him. He also spied quite a few of Kristina starting university. There were pictures of her and her friends both studying and working and even, he feared, going out and getting into trouble. There was a few that also very nearly made his heart stop at her outfits.

"I've got to get ready for work." Kristina laughed, opening the door leading her friends' in. "We'll go shopping tomorrow." She stopped short seeing Sonny sitting at her desk smiling. "Dad."

"Kristina." Sonny greeted.

"Dude, this is your dad?" Amber asked curiously.

"You've got a hot dad." Casey teased.

"Thanks. I think." Sonny decided. "I'm Kristina's dad Sonny."

"I'm Casey and this is Amber." Casey grinned. "Are you in town to visit Krissy? How long are you staying?"

"I actually live in Port Charles. I just got back off a business trip and wanted to surprise my daughter." Sonny corrected. "I'd like to take you to dinner." Sonny directed at her.

"I've actually got to work tonight." Kristina replied. "And I just got out of the gym so I've got to rush to get ready."

"Well, then I'll just take a minute." Sonny smiled, leaning back.

"Krissy, have fun at work." Casey smiled. "We'll see you when you get back."

"Yeah." Kristina smiled brightly.

"And good job kicking that guys ass tonight. HE didn't see it coming." Amber grinned, swatting her towel at Kristina. They headed out the door and the laughter died as it closed shut behind them.

"Work? Kicking somebody's ass?" Sonny asked, interested. "What new with you?"

"I've been working for a couple of months now and I'm taking a kick boxing class." She answered, pulling her shower caddy out of the closet.

"If working's about the money we can talk." Sonny put out there. "You should be concentrating on your school work."

"I passed all my midterms with nothing lower than a B; I'm doing fine. I'm working because I like it." Krissy stressed. "I am doing really well right now. I've got new friends, a job, Michael and I are talking again, my siblings are great, Mom has been really good about giving me my space here and I'm good. You don't have to worry; I'm fine on my own."

"I am always going to worry about you; I'm your dad." Sonny sighed. "Trust me, I'm aware of that." Kristina sighed, reaching for her towel.

"And you're never going to be alone when I'm around." Sonny reminded.

"Which you are never around for me when I need you but always afterwards." Kristina picked up her key card. "Dad, I need to get ready for work."

"Fine. But we have to sit down and have a long talk Kristina. You can't put it off forever." He stood up and headed to the door that she held open.

"I won't be able to I'm sure." Kristina sighed, closing the door behind them and headed down the room towards the showers. "You'll push and manipulate everything until you get what you want. You always do." She shrugged, ducking into the girls' washroom.


	13. Chapter 13: Calling in Favours

"Mr. and Mrs. Wentworth it was lovely to see you tonight." Kristina helped the older lady on with her coat. "And enjoy the rest of your wedding anniversary. You're both so lucky."

"Why thank you dear Kristina." Mrs. Wentworth smiled fondly at the young girl. "We miss seeing you at the club my dear."

"Well, starting university doesn't give me too many chances to get there but I'm hoping to see it before Christmas." Kristina laughed.

"See you soon." Mr. Wentworth called the elevator and helped his wife inside. Kristina grabbed the ringing phone and took a reservation for the weekend. When she hung up she realized someone was standing in front of her.

"Welcome ." She smiled warmly, raising her eyes and meeting her fathers.

"One for dinner please; unless I can convince you to join me." Sonny smiled at his daughter.

"Right this way." Kristina took the menu and led her father to a table. "Richard will be right with you."

"I guess I can be glad you're working here and not at some terrible place." Sonny sat down.

"I'm glad I've got this job." Kristina acknowledged and continued. "And I'd like to keep it so I better get back."

"Carly won't fire you for talking to me." He told her rationally. "And I really want to talk to you Kristina."

"As you've already said and as you can see, I'm working." She retorted and walked away. She slipped behind her podium and sent a text. For the next half an hour she worked while her father watched her and enjoyed a meal. When his coffee was served, Michael walked in and kissed her cheek.

"Where is he?" Michael asked and she wordlessly pointed him out.

"Dad, you've got to give her a break." Michael walked up to the table and sat down. "It's not fair what you're doing to her."

"I'm not doing anything to her." Sonny told him. "I'm just trying to talk to her."

"Dad, it's not me that should be telling you this but I'm going to tell it to you anyway because I think it will help. Krissy was destroyed when you didn't show for that weekend away with her. She was so depressed and she laid in bed for three days. She started wearing less clothes and looking for male attention in all the wrong places. It took her weeks to come out of this funk and finally make up with me." Michael took a breath. "You don't mean to hurt Kristina, I know that. When Dante came into your life, he was older and in his own place. He's coming around. But Krissy is fragile and as tough as she wants to come off; she feels like you haven't loved her the way you loved the rest of us." Michael finished.

"That's ridiculous." Sonny sat forward. "I love all of my kids and have always been there for them when I've been allowed."

"Except that it was different with Krissy." Michael reminded. "She grew up hating you and then her entire life turned upside down when it became known she was your daughter. She has done the classic looking for men to love her in so many ways it's not even funny. When I talked to her this week she told me that she is scared of becoming like Claudia; losing her mind and going insane. You've really got to give her a break and some space right now." Michael sighed. Wordlessly, Sonny took another sip and stared at Kristina. He took another sip and met Michael's eyes. Still silent, he laid some bills down on the table and stood up walking out of the restaurant.

"Thanks for getting rid of him." Kristina sighed, hugging Michael while he sat there.

"I did it for now Krissy." Michael cautioned. "You're not going to be able to avoid him forever."

"I need another favour." Krissy sat down across from Michael at Kelly's.

"That sentence never ends well with you." Michael teased. "What's up?"

"I am going out with my friends tonight. We're going to the frat party and I don't want to have Dante, Jason or Dad show up." Kristina told him. "It's a frat party. It's not like it's an underage club; it's not like I'm going to get loaded. Come on Michael."

"What do you want me to do?" Michael asked.

"Come with me so that I can say I wasn't alone." Kristina supplied. "Besides, PCU is your school too. You never do anything on campus or join in anything but your business classes."

"We are doing the university thing different." Michael reminded. "You are destined to get involved and be a regular university student. I am not so sure about me."

"Yeah, but you also want to make sure that I'm not getting into any trouble." Kristina reminded. "It's your big brother duty."

"How much do you have your heart set on this?" Michael sighed.

"A lot." Kristina sighed. "I still get scared when there are guys around that I don't know sometimes and I don't want to freak out or say or do something stupid."

"You could never do or say anything stupid." Michael assured her. "I'll go."

"Thank you." Kristina smiled. "Come to my room for about nine."

* * *

><p>Michael watched his little sister like a hawk at the party. His jaw had dropped when Kristina had opened her door to him wearing a short green dress. He had laughed it off when her friends joined them and took pictures and finished getting ready. The girls were giggling and having a good time and he was so glad to see Kristina like this. They walked to the frat house and Michael had quickly set himself up in a corner with a drink in his hand; talking to various people but always keeping an eye on his sister. When she began dancing with a guy in the dining room he moved his spot. It was harmless fun for her.<p>

"You could always come dance with me and then you could watch her closer." Casey said into his ear.

"I think I'm good from here." Michael smiled at her. "I'm not much of a dancer."

"And besides, you're not here to dance tonight. You're here to keep an eye on your little sister so she doesn't make any more mistakes." Casey pointed out.

"And what do you know about my sister's mistakes?" Michael asked interested.

"She's told me she made some royal ones and doesn't trust herself to make any more decisions. Which I think is stupid." Casey pointed out.

"Why's that?" Michael asked.

"Because Krissy is one of the most level headed people I know. She balances things like I've never seen anyone of my other friends do." Casey shrugged.

"When life's a balancing act sometimes things fall." Michael shrugged.

"That's what big brothers are for." Casey smiled. "And from what I see, Krissy's got two of the best."

"Thanks." Michael grinned. "Do you know the guy she's dancing with?"

"Not really. But I do know, he's on the hockey team, varsity. A good guy." Casey raised her eyebrows.

"If you don't know him that well you can't say that for sure." Michael countered.

"You really are a protective big brother, aren't you?" Casey ginned. "See you around." Casey headed off into another hallway and Michael watched as his sister continued to dance.


	14. Chapter 14: Confrontations

"You are the best big brother in the world." Kristina wrapped her arms around her brother, surprising him during his lunch with Abby. "Thanks again for taking me to the party."

"It wasn't as torturous as I thought it was going to be. Except watching that guy paw at my little sister." Michael sighed, pulling out the chair beside him.

"So you cancelled our date to go to a party." Abby grinned. "Sit down and tell me about the guy."

"I can't tell you about another guy I like." Kristina said pointedly. "You might pretend to sleep with him."

"Ouch." Abby sighed, picking up the fork.

"Krissy, I thought you said you were willing to forgive and forget." Michael put down his coffee cup.

"You. I haven't said anything about forgiving or forgetting her." Krissy pointed out.

"It's OK Michael." Abby sighed. "It's obvious that Kristina isn't really as mature as she wants to be and that's why Ethan won't look twice at her."

"I never took a shot at you." Kristina shook her head. "I did forgive and forget with Michael because he is my brother and I have done things that he's forgiven and forgotten. It will take me a while to trust you because big surprise, I don't like you."

"The feeling's mutual. You're nothing but a spoiled little brat who needs every single thing in this world to revolve around her." Abby rose to Kristina's face.

"And you're nothing but a cheap stripper that has conned my brother into thinking you care about him when all you're after is his money." Kristina shouted back in hers.

"That's enough." Carly declared, walking through the door with Sonny.

"I'm done." Krissy stepped back.

"I see you're no longer brave since your daddy's here to protect you." Abby snarled.

"Think again." Kristina grabbed Abby and started fighting with her. Despite his shock, Sonny leaped and grabbed Kristina while Michael grabbed Abby, holding each other back.

"I said, THAT'S ENOUGH!" Carly yelled. "You, go out back with your father to clean up." She pointed to Kristina. "You, take a walk to cool down." Sonny pulled Kristina towards the kitchen and Carly bore holes into Abby until she grabbed her purse and headed out the door. Michael started to follow and Carly stopped him and sat at the table. "You, sit."

"Mom, come on." Michael sighed. "I should check on Abby."

"Sit, now." Carly demanded. Michael sighed and sat across from his mother. "I tried to warn you that this situation with Abby and Kristina was going to get out of hand."

"I don't know what to do." Michael shoved his hands through his hair.

"Well, before I let you run after Abby because I know that you are going to do; because it's what Jason would have done, I'm going to ask you this. Who started with the first real insult towards the other?" Carly sighed. "Go." Michael took off out the door after giving his mother a long look. Carly sat back and waited for one or the other to come out of the kitchen.

* * *

><p>"It's not that I hate her." Kristina spoke first, once she had washed her hands and splashed some cold water on her face. "And it's not that I hate that she's with Michael. It's that she's just so wrong FOR Michael."<p>

"And why do you say that?" Sonny asked, glad his daughter was talking to him.

"It's not the age difference or the life experiences before you start to hope that I'll say that so you can compare anything to me and Ethan." Kristina swore. "It's that she is just plain mean and hurtful. What she did to me only proves it and I'm worried that it won't be much longer until she hurts him."

"I'm glad you want to protect your brother from being hurt." Sonny decided. "But I don't know if he's ready to listen about Abby. He's had just as tough a time as you have."

"I'm not pushing him any more about her. But I wasn't about to sit down and tell her about the guy last night at the party." Kristina scowled.

"Do I get to ask about that?" Sonny sighed. "I don't know the rules of me giving you space."

"I went to a party last night. I took Michael because the last time I went to a party Dante showed up and dragged me home. Michael must have broken a date with Abby to come so she got mad. That's how this all started." Kristina sighed.

"I see." Sonny couldn't help himself. "And the guy at the party?"

"Just some guy." Kristina didn't want to give too much away. "That I'm actually meeting for coffee in a little bit here and I really, really, really don't want to have a scene, so maybe you could go?" She asked hopefully.

"As long as you stay here and don't go anywhere with this guy, I'll agree. Milo will be sitting at the counter too." Sonny shrugged. "That's me, giving you space. Take it or leave it."

"Thank you." Kristina sighed after a minute. "And when I have a break from school and life, I promise, we'll talk."

"I guess I've gotta take it." Sonny shrugged. "Just know that I love you."

"I guess I do know that, somewhere deep deep deep down." Kristina acknowledged, hugging her dad. They headed out to the table where Carly sat.

"Come on, we're going. Kristina has a date and I'm making myself scarce." Sonny told her.

"Are you OK?" Carly asked Kristina.

"I'm OK for now but I will tell you about it later when I get to work." Kristina sighed. "I promise."

"I can't wait to hear it." Carly decided, kissing her cheek. She and Sonny headed out the door and she stopped short, looking at Sonny. "You're really OK leaving?"

"I have to give her space. In my own way. Milo." He turned to the guards. "Go inside and drink coffee at the counter. Watch my daughter like a hawk."

"You got it boss." Milo headed inside.

* * *

><p>"I've been looking everywhere for you." Michael came through Abby's apartment door.<p>

"Well, here I am." Abby sighed. "Am I ever going to fit in with your family?"

"Not if you keep provoking my sister like you have been." Michael answered honestly. "Krissy didn't start today, you did."

"Actually, you did Michael." Abby redirected. "If you had of told me the truth about cancelling our date, this wouldn't have happened."

"Maybe not to the extent but then it would have been a fight between us when I told you it was about Krissy. Why do you hate her so much?" Michael demanded.

"I hate her because she had what I never had growing up." Abby sighed, answering honestly. "And I hate that now that I have you, she still has you and comes first in your life."

"Krissy is my sister. Family comes first; my dad always drilled that into my head." Michael reminded her.

"And you want to be just like your father." Abby cried in frustration. "Forget the fact that you have a sweet man like Edward trying to hand you a multibillion dollar corporation; you need to follow your dad into the mob!"

"So this whole thing with Krissy is just a smoke screen because you can't handle what I want to be." Michael saw clearly.

"Not really, but maybe it adds to it since she almost agrees that you should follow your father into the business." Abby sighed.

"See, that's where you are totally wrong about Krissy. Again." Michael sighed. "She was the one who filled in all the paper work for PCU for me and has pushed me to do better at school. She wants me to have nothing to do with our father's business but accepts that I want to and doesn't ride me about it!"

"Well, maybe I can't put up with it any more Michael; I just don't know." Abby sighed, getting up and heading into the bathroom.


	15. Chapter 15: Thoughts of Thanks

Ethan stared at the computer screen in front of him. He typed in the user name he knew and inserted the password that he had guessed long ago at the bottom of a bottle of whiskey and desperate to see the face of the one person who actually cared about him. He almost felt bad, getting into her facebook account but it wasn't as if he read her messages. He just stared at her pictures. Her beautiful face popped up on the screen. It was a new picture and he just stared into those eyes, losing himself. After a minute, poked around into more pictures. She was smiling in each one and he missed her more after each shot. He didn't indulge himself in torture very often but it had been a long hard day. He could see the light at the end of the tunnel and was glad that hopefully sooner rather than later, he would see her in person rather through the screen. He clicked next and a picture of Kristina in a green dressed caught his attention. Not because of the dress but because of the guy that had draped his arm around her. He stared at the picture and sought for answers in her face. The smile was wide but he hoped that the eyes were actually empty and that it wasn't his mind playing tricks on him. He scrolled down and read the caption, 'Lookin' good in green!' some girl had written. Quickly, he flipped through the picture that he knew so well. In this picture, Krissy had a genuine smile and laughter in her eyes while she danced with him at her father's wedding. He sighed and went back to the first picture where she was smiling and bright eyed. He logged out and shut the laptop, hearing his name in the hall. She had no business even being seen on the computer in a place like this.

* * *

><p>Thanksgiving came and Kristina once again found herself buying pumpkin cookies at the bakery for dinner. She was deep in thought as she wandered through the Sea Port with the cookies. This time last year though, she had run into Ethan on the docks. This year, she didn't have the hopes of running into him and sharing a cookie and a chat. He had been gone too long and she was starting to think that he wasn't coming back.<br>"There's someone I'm happy to see." Ryland interrupted her thoughts.

"Ryland." Kristina looked up in surprise. "What are you doing here, I thought you were going home for Thanksgiving."

"Well, so did I." Ryland admitted. "But, my parents decided at the last minute to visit my sister in Vermont."

"That sucks." Kristina admitted.

"Pretty much." Ryland agreed. "So, I am staying around campus and working on a paper."

"Well I can't leave you go the whole weekend without a Thanksgiving dinner." Kristina decided. "Come to my house. There'll be a whole lot of people and good food. It's being catered so my mother can't screw it up."

"Now that's an invitation that I can't turn down." Ryland grinned.

* * *

><p>Thanksgiving dinner was loud and crazy, Kristina hadn't lied. Her mother had invited Carly and the kids, Sonny, Sam and Jason and the Scorpio clan. Thankfully no one had bombarded Kristina and Ryland with questions and the whole crowd enjoyed the meal that had been prepared for them. Afterwards, Kristina and Ryland took a walk in the crisp cool air around the lake. When they got back, Dante and Lulu had stopped in and they had a game of scrabble between the four of them. Kristina decided it was time to go before her luck ran out in regards to the family asking questions. She and Ryland headed back to the dorm and she was surprised at how comfortable she was to invite him in to watch a movie. Kristina popped popcorn and settled in on the couch with him. The cheesy movie made them laugh. When the movie was over, Kristina was the one who leaned over and lightly kissed him. For the first time, physical contact with a guy didn't scare her and she revelled in it. She actually discovered the power in it and slid onto Ryland's lap, straddling him on the couch. Touching his face she didn't flinch when he pulled her tightly against him.<p>

"Kristina?" Dante opened the door with his gun drawn.

"What the hell?" Kristina cried out, jumping back.

"The door was ajar, I got worried." Dante explained. Seeing that there was no immediate danger he holstered his gun.

"What are you doing here Dante?" Kristina asked, standing up and pulled at her clothing.

"You forgot your purse at the Lake House, I told Dad that I would drop it by. You're lucky it was me and not him." Dante pointed out. "In case you don't remember, I'm Kristina's older brother."

"I remember." Ryland nodded. "I'm going to get out of here. I had a really good time today. I'll call you tomorrow." Ryland kissed her cheek.

"So, anything you want to tell your big brother?" Dante asked when the door closed behind Ryland. "Like how, suddenly you're serious with this guy? Enough to have him in your room alone?"

"So every guy I date is going to be questioned?" Kristina asked in frustration.

"Yes." Dante answered honestly, sitting on her bed; carefully avoiding where he had seen his little sister had been straddling a guy. "But because we love you and not because of Keifer."

"Don't you guys trust me to make a good decision any more?" Kristina sighed.

"Yes." Dante answered again. "But you need to realize that we're going to question every guy because no guy is ever going to be good enough for you and not because we're worried that they're hitting you."

"Well, at least there's that." Kristina sunk down beside him. "I learned from that mistake Dante. I'm taking it slow and careful with this guy."

"Um, not to try and relive it because believe me, I wish I could forget it but what I saw tonight was NOT taking it slow or being careful." Dante groaned.

"I'm on the pill so I can sleep with him and not worry." Kristina pushed a couple more buttons. "I'm teasing." She laughed when he paled and closed his eyes. "I'm serious. I met Ryland almost a month ago and have been meeting up with him in public places and seeing him in groups. I've been careful. Tonight was the first time that I've been alone with him. And probably the last." Kristina sighed.

"I pretty much doubt that." Dante told her honestly. "He said he'd call before he kissed your cheek." Kristina raised his eyebrow. "It's guy code. Had he said he'd call after he kissed your cheek you'd never hear from him again."

"I just might keep you around." Kristina grinned. "I can use your advice."

"Do you hit up Michael for all the same sex advice? Cause I'm starting to wonder if I'm going to be able to handle it on my own." Dante sighed.


	16. Chapter 16: New Experiences for a New Ye

"Why are we here again?" Amber demanded, shivering in her parka.

"We are watching Ryland playing hockey." Kristina reminded.

"And why are we doing that?" Amber asked again.

"Cause Krissy asked us to and we know she would do anything for us." Amber answered.

"That'll do." Amber decided. "Except you have to buy me a hot chocolate."

"I will buy us all two hot chocolates." Kristina grinned.

"So, do we know any rules about hockey?" Casey asked.

"None." Kristina answered.

"Do we know the goal?" Amber asked.

"To win." Kristina guessed. "At least, that's the reason behind most sports, isn't it?"

"And what color is our guys?" Casey asked.

"Red. And Ryland is number 46, he told me last night when I said I'd come." Kristina supplied.

"So, why did he want you to come see him play?" Amber continued.

"This apparently is one of their biggest games of the season and the reason that he couldn't see me all week." Kristina shrugged. "The coach has had them all on practices and something called dRyland and restrictions, whatever that means."

"I'm thinking that it means no social life." Casey grinned. "But that's OK because finals will soon be over and then we get a nice long Christmas break."

"I can't wait to see my folks." Amber decided. "I know how stupid that sounds since I complain about them, but it will be nice to get home cooking and hang out at home."

"Your Mom really has been great inviting us over and trying to cook for us." Casey smiled at Kristina. "And your dad's place was cool; if not a little scary with the big men in suits. It was like being part of a family."

"Well, mine's a crazy one so you might not want to get too attached." Kristina admitted.

"They're better than not having one at all." Amber added. "Hey, we scored, didn't we?" She asked over the loud cheering of the crowd.

* * *

><p>"Did Casey and Amber get off OK?" Alexis asked when she stopped by Kristina's dorm.<p>

"You just missed them." Kristina smiled, grabbing a bag of laundry.

"I won't lie, I'm very excited to have you home. With your laundry." Alexis grinned. "Molly is too."

"I'm glad that I made it through my first semester so I could bring home my laundry." Kristina decided. "Now I just gotta wait for my marks to come in."

"They'll be in within a week or so and I'm sure you did fine." Alexis promised, picking up another bag.

"Hey, I was hoping I didn't miss you." Ryland came to the door.

"Hi Ryland." Kristina smiled broadly. "Mom, you remember Ryland, don't you?"

"I do. Good to see you again Ryland." Alexis greeted.

"You too Ms. Davis." Ryland smiled at her. "I just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas before you headed home. I'm on my way to the airport now."

"Could we give you a ride Ryland?" Alexis asked.

"I'm good actually, I have a drive downstairs waiting." Ryland declined. "I just wanted to stop by and give you this card for Christmas. Can I help carry some bags downstairs?" He offered, taking the one out of Kristina's hand.

"That would be very nice." Alexis handed him another one.

* * *

><p>Christmas passed in a quicker blur than Kristina could have imagined. The festive time of year began with the decorating of the tree the night she came home and didn't slow down. The good thing was that her marks came in and didn't make her a basket case the whole vacation. She had done well and she was proud of the GPA that was printed on her score sheet. Sonny had asked Carly and Alexis to bring the kids to his house for Christmas and after some debate between them (and Kristina suspected a good amount of alcohol), they decided to do so. So on Christmas Eve after church, they all headed to Sonny's to wait for Santa Clause. Dante appeared the next morning as all the kids ripped into their presents and everyone had an amazing lunch together. That night they returned to their own homes and Kristina spent the remainder of the vacation either working or relaxing with her family. Classes were due to begin again on January 2 and many of her friends were heading back to town for New Years Eve. There was actually going to be a party at the hotel and Carly had given her permission to invite a few friends. She quickly called Casey, Amber, and Ryland and they had agreed to come back on New Years Eve to celebrate at such a great event. The girls spent the day excitedly getting ready at the Lake House. Kristina had bought a fancy new dress and Sam had come over to do the girls make up. While Alexis snapped pictures for the girls, Ryland showed up in a tux and picked her up in a huge hug. Alexis embarrassed her by insisting on more pictures of just her and Ryland before they headed to the party. The party was just as amazing as everyone expected. As the countdown approached, Kristina pulled closer to Ryland. When everyone got excited at the one minute warning, Ryland tugged Kristina's hand and led her out the terrace doors into the cold night air. She shivered and laughed and melted into his arms while the countdown started. He leaned down and kissed her just at the crowd rang in the New Year. The night ended all too soon and the girls giggled their way into their dorm and tumbled into their respective beds, dreaming of the year to come. Kristina woke to someone knocking on her door urgently. She pulled on a robe and checked the peephole. The person was leaning on the door jam and she couldn't get a good view so she picked up the baseball bat she had hidden in the closet next to the door. She opened the door and was barely able to hold up the man that fell on her and she gasped when she realized who it was.<p>

"Did you miss me love?" Ethan asked weakly, passing out in her arms.

"Oh my god." Kristina used everything she had to pull him in and close the door. "Ethan, Ethan, oh god." She nearly cried out. She pulled him to the bed and took into accounts his condition. He had bruises on his face and a split lip. She could see that his clothes were torn and blood stained. She grabbed for her phone and dialled. "It's Kristina. I need your help, I'm at my dorm and it's an emergency." She hung up. "Hold on Ethan, just hold on. Help's on the way."


	17. Chapter 17: Old Friends in a New Year

"What is going on?" Johnny demanded when Kristina opened the door. "It's the middle of the night and you called me for an emergency." Kristina pulled him inside and pointed to her bed. He realized that the lump in it was Ethan.

"Ethel man, what in the hell happened to you?" Johnny demanded getting close.

"I had it coming I'm sure." Ethan replied.

"How bad?" Johnny demanded, looking down at his friend.

"He's been in and out and he's got a stab wound that was badly patched." Kristina informed him.

"It's not that bad." Ethan said with a grin.

"Come on, let's get him to my place." Johnny decided. "I'll have a doctor meet us there. Get his other arm." Between the two of them, they started to pull him up however Ethan yelled out in pain.

"New plan." Kristina decided, laying him back down. "Get the doctor here." Johnny picked up the phone and dialled his phone.

"Are you sure he's going to be OK?" Kristina asked the doctor a few hours later.

"As long as you keep him still and comfortable he should be fine now that I've seen to the wound." The doctor replied grimly. "Keep him on these pain pills and try to get him to eat. Light things at first, mostly soup."

"How soon can I move him?" Johnny asked.

"I'd keep him still for a while yet." The doctor told him. "You've got to give his wound time to heal properly now."

"He can stay here." Kristina supplied. The doctor picked up his bag and pulled on his coat. "I'll stop by and check on him tomorrow."

"Thanks." Johnny shoved a wad of bills in hand and sent him out the door. "Are you sure you're up for this?" Johnny asked worriedly.

"He's not going anywhere." Kristina said stubbornly. "You heard the doctor, he has to stay still."

"I admire your stubbornness but I'm still worried." Johnny told her honestly. "Did he say anything about what happened?"

"Nothing." Kristina told him.

"Are you sure?" Johnny repeated. "Anything at all."

"He asked me if I missed him and then passed out. He woke up a few times and called out my name. He didn't talk again until you showed up." Kristina answered.

"Ok. I'm going to go. Me being here might draw some unwanted attention." Johnny decided. "I'm going to send back one of my men to check around and make sure that no one's around or looking for Ethan."

"Fine." Kristina agreed.

"You can't tell anyone he's here Kristina. If you tell his family they might try to come see him and then someone may end up noticing he's here and bring trouble." Johnny cautioned.

"I won't." Kristina promised, closing her eyes.

"Hey, if this is too much, I'll take him with me." Johnny reached out and took her arm. "I understand."

"It's not too much for me." Kristina opened her eyes. "He came to me so he must have wanted to be with me. I'll be here for him just like he's been there for me."

"You're being really brave." Johnny acknowledged. "You did a good thing by calling me."

"I couldn't have called anyone else." Kristina told him honestly. "Go. I'll take care of him tonight."

"I'll see you tomorrow. Call me if you need anything." Johnny headed to the door. Kristina headed to the bed and pulled the covers up farther around his sleeping form. She ran a hand through her hair and sighed, looking at his face. She reached out and touched his cheek. He stirred under her touch, reaching up and grabbing her hand.

"Shhhh, it's me. It's Kristina." She whispered. "You're safe now."

* * *

><p>The next two days passed with snatches of sleep, visits from Johnny and the doctor, and lies to her friends and family that either called or texted. She varied her excuses; prepping for classes, napping, whatever she could think of so that they wouldn't guess she had Ethan hidden in her room. She had gone to the security office and told them she lost her student ID and they made her a new one so that she could give Johnny a key, just in case. The night before classes started there was a knock on her door. Johnny had been there with the doctor and had stayed since the doctor had begun lessening the meds for Ethan. She looked at him with surprised eyes.<p>

"Who is it?" She called out from behind the door.

"Krissy, it's me." Michael answered. She looked at Johnny with round eyes. "Come on, open up. I need to talk to you."

"Just a minute." She replied, looking around frantically. She ripped her shirt off over her head and held it up covering her chest. "Hi." She opened the door a fraction.

"Are you OK?" Michael asked, eyeing his sister.

"I'm kinda busy." Kristina said pointedly. "I've got company."

"Company?" Michael asked then realized what his sister was alluding to. "What in the hell Krissy?" He sighed. "I thought you were taking it slow with Ryland."

"It's not actually Ryland." Krissy hissed. "Give me a break Michael. Can I please call you in a little bit?"

"After you finish having sex with some guy?" Michael asked sarcastically. "Call me tomorrow please so I can yell at you."

"You got it." Kristina shut the door, leaned back and sighed. "That was close."

"Good thinking." Johnny grinned. "You're quick on your feet."

"I learned to be that way excusing Kiefer." Kristina shrugged. She pulled her shirt back on and approached the bed again.

"How long was he hitting you before you told anyone?" Johnny asked. "I keep trying to pick out times that I may have seen you guys together and I didn't pick up on it."

"It was a while. It started off as him grabbing me and twisting my arm then it would be the hitting. He took me to the hospital the first time he split my lip." Kristina revealed. "Ethan was the first person to really pick up on it. He put Kiefer in a head lock the first time that he saw him grab me."

"He was lucky all he got was a headlock." Johnny laughed.

"If it had been my Dad or Michael-" Kristina was cut off by pounding on the door.

"Krissy, open up and open up now." Michael demanded.

"Michael, come on." Krissy called out going to the door. "I told you I would call you tomorrow."

"Open the door, NOW Krissy." Michael pounded again. She edged to the door and opened it a crack.

"Seriously, Michael-" Krissy tried.

"I saw Johnny's car outside." Michael forced the door back on his sister and edged in. "I swear to god Zacchara, if you're in there having sex with my sister I will kill you myself."

"Michael!" Krissy fell backwards and lost her hold on the door so he barged in. He steadied her before he charged at Johnny. "Michael, stop!" Kristina shut the door and jumped in between Michael. "It's not what you think. Ethan's hurt."

Michael stopped and looked at Kristina for the first time, noticing she was now fully clothed. "Look." Kristina pulled him to the bed where Ethan was still sleeping.

"Damn it Krissy." Michael sighed. "I'm sorry." He turned to Johnny.

"I'd do the same thing. Your father has too. " Johnny held his hands up. "There's nothing going on between me and Kristina."

"Then what are you doing here?" Michael narrowed his eyes.

"Ethan showed up a few nights ago in really bad shape. He collapsed and I didn't know who to call. Johnny is his best friend; I knew Ethan would want me to call him." Kristina supplied.

"I had nothing to do with Ethan while he was gone so I don't know what the hell is going on." Johnny answered. "We tried to move him but he wasn't going to make it. The doctor advised keeping him here."

"Why not the hospital?" Michael asked.

"I didn't know if I could risk taking him there." Kristina told him. "I still don't know why he really left town or if it has anything to do with his Dad and Luke isn't back yet."

"Why didn't you call Dad or Jason?" Michael tried again.

"And give Dad another reason to hate Ethan? Pass." Kristina folded her arms across her chest.

"So why the hell didn't you come to me?" Michael ran a hand through his hair and looked at his sister. "You used to call me when you were in trouble."

"I'm not in trouble or I would have." Kristina pointed out.

"You're hiding a practically dead man in your dorm room and have one of the men Dad hates the most with you." Michael sighed. "You might be in a little trouble here."

"Kristina's not in any danger with me here." Johnny told him.

"And I didn't almost get shot talking to you on the street." Michael pointed it out. "I'm sorry; I'm just worried."

"Again, I understand." Johnny assured him.

"So, what's the plan?" Michael asked.

"Wait until Ethan wakes up." Kristina sighed. "We can't do anything until then. But Michael, you've got to promise that you're not going to tell anyone he's here. Not Dad, not Dante, not Lucky or Lulu, not ANYONE."

"I don't know why I also agree to your plans." Michael sighed.

"Promise me." Kristina repeated.

"I promise." Michael sighed, looking over at Ethan again.


	18. Chapter 18: Spencer Secrets

"Hi Kristina." Lulu smiled at her when she came into Kelly's.

"Hi Lulu." Kristina replied nervously. She was waiting on soup to take back to her room for Ethan. She knew it was a matter of time until he woke up and she wanted to have soup ready. "How's life?" She tried to act normal.

"Actually, really good right now." Lulu decided with a wild smile. "My dad is actually home."

"Luke's home?" Kristina asked surprised.

"I guess, but no word on Ethan, sorry." Lulu said, thinking the young girl was thinking about him.

"When did he get home?" Lulu asked.

"Well, I haven't seen him yet. All I know is that Lucky said he saw him on the Haunted Star last night and he was dead tired on his feet. I'm going to see him soon." Lulu told her. "If he has any news on Ethan I'll let you know, I promise."

"Thanks." Kristina told both her and the waitress who had brought out the big bag containing the soup.

"See you later!" Lulu smiled. "And listen, don't worry about Ethan. If it's one thing we know he's good on his own."

"Bye." Kristina headed out. She was torn. She wasn't sure if she could go to the Haunted Star or not. She decided she wanted to check on Ethan first.

* * *

><p>"Hey. How was class?" Johnny asked. He had stayed with Ethan while she was at the first class.<p>

"It was good." Kristina acknowledged. "I brought him some soup for when he wakes up. I got you a burger too." Kristina opened the bag and handed him a box.

"You are an angel." Johnny took it. "I didn't grab breakfast, thanks."

"Any change?" She asked, heading to the bed.

"None." Johnny shook his head. "He hasn't woken up yet. The doctor was by and said he's looking good and took him off the meds a little more. He should wake up tonight."

"That's good." Kristina sighed. "I just want him to wake up and eat and get better."

"The doc said that he's doing well by resting. The down time is letting his body heal and him sleeping and not moving is letting his wound heal better." Johnny assured her, polishing off the burger. "You don't have to worry: he'll be his charming self again soon."

"I know." Kristina smiled. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." Johnny stood up. "I have to go for a little bit."

"Anything to do with Ethan?" Kristina asked, slightly alarmed.

"Nothing, just business." Johnny promised. "I will call you in a bit and check in."

"Thanks." Kristina walked him to the door. She closed the door behind him and turned back to stare at Ethan. She didn't know why she hadn't told Johnny that Luke was back but she definitely didn't know what she was doing keeping it a secret. Maybe Luke could tell them why he was hurt but just maybe, Luke didn't know anything about it and telling him would make more trouble for Ethan. "Come on Ethan." She sighed. "You've gotta wake up and tell me what to do." She grabbed her text for her new class and began reading her first assignment.

* * *

><p>"Kristina." Ethan moaned, hours after she had fallen asleep on the couch with a pillow and a throw.<p>

"I'm here." Kristina stirred and jumped off the couch, crossing the room in two leaps. "Ethan, I'm here."

"Oh, love, it's so good to see you." Ethan raised his hand to her face.

"I'm so glad you woke up. Are you in any pain?" Kristina asked worried.

"I feel like a million dollars." Ethan grimaced. "You."

"I had to call Johnny, I hope that's OK." Kristina worried. "I knew you needed a doctor and didn't want to take you to the hospital."

"I'm glad you did. Johnny has my back." Ethan told her. "Hey, you did the right thing."

"I wasn't sure and I was scared." Kristina admitted. "I was scared you were going to die."

"Hey, I wasn't going to die when I finally got back home." Ethan told her.

"You need to eat a little. Can you manage some soup?" She asked. "It'll make you stronger."

"Are you calling me weak?" Ethan teased.

"At the moment, yes." She grinned. She headed to the corner and hit heat on the microwave and headed back to him. "I ran into Lulu today too and she mentioned your Dad is back."

"Good, he made it out too." Ethan sighed. "We split up. The plan was to meet up in Mexico and head back together and he didn't show so I came back alone."

"Do you want me to tell him you're here? I didn't know if I should or not." Kristina asked.

"He'll figure it out soon enough." Ethan shrugged. "He's back and that's all that matters. I want to lay low for a little bit yet."

"I'm going to call Johnny and tell him you're awake." Kristina told him. "He's been just as worried as I've been."

"Go ahead." Ethan told her. She pulled out her phone and made the call while she pulled his soup out and settled in beside him.

"Here." Kristina helped him lean forward and plumped up his pillows. "There you go. Now, you're going to eat this whole bowl of soup without a problem."

"Yes m'am." Ethan grinned, eating the first spoonful of soup she brought to his lips. By the time she finished feeding him the bowl of soup, Johnny let himself in.

"Hey." Johnny came in. "How is he?"

"Awake." Kristina told him as he closed the door.

"Jeeze Ethel, you're looking good." Johnny whistled.

"Thanks." Ethan grinned. "I try to always look my best."

"Well, you had us worried there for a little bit and my friend, I wouldn't ever do that to this girl again." Johnny winked.

"I'll try to keep that in mind." Ethan decided.

"Kristina, can you give us a minute?" Johnny hated to ask but he wasn't about to ask the questions he needed to with her there.

"I'm going to get a shower. You'll stay with him until I get back?" Kristina asked, grabbing her things.

"I promise." Johnny agreed. She headed out the door and Johnny turned back to Ethan. "What's going on man?"

"I was with Luke. I was helping him get out of some trouble that he had found himself in. We headed back to the whore house had grown up in so that he could wrap up his business and found it shut down. He owed the man that owned it and ended up repaying his debt by getting it up and going again." Ethan filled in. "Then the guy that the owner had cut out came back and wanted some trouble. Dad and I ran a scam to get rid of him but I think he figured it out. We thought he had so we split up, planning to leave town once we finished the trap. He got to us first."

"So how much trouble will follow you home?" Johnny asked.

"I don't know until I talk to Luke." Ethan admitted. "I took care of it on my end I just have to make sure that he did on his end too."

"Now, you want to tell me why you ended up at Kristina's door?" Johnny asked.

"I wasn't sure what you've been up to. I didn't know if you were in a war with Sonny over Anthony." Ethan told him. "I knew Krissy would take care of me." He added.

"She did." Johnny told him. "You collapsed on her and she dragged you to the bed. She called me and I got the doctor here. She's only left a few times and kept you both alive and hidden."

"Well, I owe her I guess." Ethan shrugged painfully.

"That woman would move the Earth for you if she could." Johnny told him.

"I'd do the same for her." Ethan acknowledged as she came back through the door.

"Is it safe?" She asked with a smile.

"You're on your own with him now sweetheart, I'm sick of him already." Johnny decided, standing up.

"I've got class tomorrow at eleven." Kristina told him.

"I'll be back then." Johnny told her. "Call me if you need me before then."

"I will. Night." Kristina closed the door behind him. "How are you feeling?" She asked, approaching Ethan.

"Tired." Ethan admitted, reaching out and catching her hand. "But Johnny told me how great you've been." He tried to keep his eyes open.

"It wasn't anything you haven't done for me." Kristina smiled, brushing his hair out of his face. "And will have to do again I'm sure. Go to sleep. I'll be right here if you need me."

"I know." Ethan's eyes fluttered shut. She sighed, settling down in the chair that she had dragged over next to the bed. She threw a blanket over her feet and rested her head on the pillow. It wasn't long until she was asleep too, clutching his hand in hers.

"Are you ok?" Kristina blinked her eyes as she heard Ethan moan and jumped up.

"Just moved the wrong way." He winced. "I'm OK."

"Are you sure? I have some pain pills from the doctor." Kristina worried.

"You are the only medicine I need love." Ethan ground out. He pulled her closer so that she was sitting on the bed. "I really did miss you, you know that?"

"I missed you too." Kristina sighed. "I can't talk to anyone the way I can talk to you."

"Not even any of these fancy college boys who I'm sure are crawling after you?" He asked, teasing.

"No one compares to you." She grinned. "I'm just glad you're OK."

"I'm better with you." Ethan admitted. "I just want to have you next to me."

"I'm right here." Kristina told him. Careful not to hurt him, she laid down next to him and curled to him. "I'm not going anywhere's."


	19. Chapter 19: Late and Longer

Johnny slipped inside Kristina's room the next morning and stopped short seeing the sight in front of him. He sighed, rubbed his head and decided he might need something on his friend at one point in time so he used his cell phone to take a picture.

"Kristina." Johnny reached out and touched her shoulder and she startled awake. "It's OK, it's me."

"Ethan?" Kristina turned to look at him.

"I'm awake." Ethan groaned. "For better or worse."

"What are you doing here?" Kristina asked, rubbing her eyes and sitting up.

"You said you had a class at eleven." Johnny reminded just as thunder started.

"YO! Corrinthos, let's go!" Casey banged on the door. "Class starts in twenty and I want coffee first!"

"I'm coming! Give me a sec." Krissy jumped out of bed. She opened the closet and groaned looking in the mirror. She fished out a tank top and hoodie and quickly ripped the t-shirt she slept in over her head and began pulling on the tank top.

"Turn your head sir." Ethan told Johnny.

"I've already seen the goods." Johnny grinned

"That was a one timer." Kristina sighed, pulling on the hoodie and grabbing a hat from the top of the closet, jamming it on her head and pulling her hair through it.

"I don't know, you keep ripping your clothes off in front of me." Johnny suggested. She made a face at him. She knew better than trying to change her sweat pants. She pulled on big fluffy socks and tucked her pant legs inside. "I'm COMING!" She yelled as Casey banged again. "Christ Case, I'm coming."

"Shake it like you've got one Corrinthos!" Casey called again.

Kristina laughed and called out, "I shake it better than you so don't go there."

"I'd like to see that." Johnny grinned. Kristina swatted his head as she passed him, grabbing her shoulder bag and pulling the text book off her shelf.

"Make sure he eats some soup." She commanded, sliding her feet into the sandals near the door. "I'll be back." She headed out the door, careful to close it so Casey wouldn't see inside. "I know, I know, I over slept." They could hear her explaining her appearance just before the door closed.

"So, MATE." Ethan cleared his throat and looked at his friend. "Explain to me why she keeps ripping her clothes off in front of you and what 'I've already seen the goods' means."

"Jealous?" Johnny raised an eyebrow.

"Just explain." Ethan narrowed his eyes.

"Relax killer." Johnny nearly laughed. "She'd been trying to hide you and finally Michael must have got worried and decided to come look for her. When he showed up she was trying to find any way not to let him in here. She thought maybe if he thought she had company that he might not come in. She pulled her shirt off and it worked."

"Michael backed off when he thought she had someone in here having sex?" Ethan asked incredulously. "What kind of a brother is that?"

"One not risking another fight over a guy with his sister." Johnny guessed. "Didn't work though, because he saw my car downstairs and started to wonder just who was in the room with his little sister."

"Mate." Ethan coughed from laughing. "Don't make me laugh it hurts."

"You asked." Johnny shrugged.

"So, just to be clear, this is only the second time that you've seen her take her shirt off." Ethan clarified.

"Maybe." Johnny twisted the knife. "How are you feeling?"

"Still sore but the haze is settling." Ethan acknowledged. "Did you see Luke?"

"He's on the Star and seems to be fine." Johnny told him. "I didn't go any closer though so I didn't raise suspicions. It won't be long until he comes looking for you though." Johnny reminded. "He's going to come to either me or Kristina."

"I know." Ethan nodded. "I have been through hell and back in the last few months with my father and I really just want some TLC for myself right now."

"TLC is what you will get here my friend." Johnny decided. "But you better decide very soon if you're going to come clean about your feelings for that girl because if not; you're going to break her heart again."

"I'll handle Krissy the way I handle her." Ethan sighed. "Wasn't that your opinion on my feelings about you and Lisa?"

"And look how that turned out." Johnny sat back.

* * *

><p>"How are you feeling?" Kristina smiled, coming back into her dorm room.<p>

"Better now that you're here to save me from this jerk." Ethan decided.

"Awe, he's not so bad." Kristina matched him. "Thanks for staying with him."

"It's no problem." Johnny replied. "The doctor was here."

"And?" Kristina asked, taking off her hat and pulling her hair up.

"The wound is healing much better than it was, there's no sign of infection and he is going to be good to move-" Johnny reported but was cut off.

"In four or five days." Ethan finished. "Hope that's not a problem."

"You can stay as long as you want." Kristina began unpacking her bag from class. "As long as you're a good patient. Did you eat the soup?" She asked.

"Nope." Ethan said smugly.

"Well, we had a slight disagreement on that." Johnny told her when she narrowed her eyes on him. "Ethel here said he wanted it spoon fed to him by a beautiful woman."

"And you couldn't throw on some of my clothes to make that work?" She asked innocently.

"Your clothes would look ridiculous on him." Ethan grinned.

"Not to mention none would come close to fitting since you've decided less is more." Johnny dug.

"Why does it always come back to my clothing?" Kristina sighed.

"Why do you always have to wear so little?" Johnny questioned her.

"I'm going to get that soup started." Kristina sighed.

"I'm going to get out of here." Johnny decided. "If you need anything, call."

"I will." Kristina promised as he headed out the door. "So, first step is soup."

"I am actually hungry." Ethan admitted.

"Well, that's a good sign." Kristina was cheery. "You'll be back on your feet in no time."

"Let's not rush things." Ethan cautioned. "I was stabbed you know."

"Trust me I know." Kristina brought the soup over to him. "Want to tell me about it?"

"I promise you that I will tell you what you need to know when I'm feeling up to it." Ethan eyed her. "Right now, I just want to lie here and enjoy being looked after by you after all the hell I've been through."

"Sounds like a fair deal to me." Kristina decided she wouldn't push it for now. They kidded around and teased each other until the dorm phone rang. "Voice mail will get it." She shrugged. After it stopped, her cell phone began ringing. She checked the number and stared at the phone, unsure what to do.

"Answer it." Ethan urged, knowing that she wanted to.

"Hi." Kristina answered the phone as she stepped back from Ethan and wandered to the window. "I'm sorry, I was napping." She bit her lip. "I missed you too but I know you had practice." She ran a hand through her hair. "Tonight? I actually have to work. Yeah. I know. Maybe another night next week? Of course I want to see you." She smiled. "OK. I have class at three tomorrow. Coffee before that? Sure. Bye Ryland." She hung up the phone. After a second, she put the phone on the dresser and turned back to Ethan.

"Ryland, huh?" Ethan asked wearily.

"Ryland." Kristina confirmed.

"Who's Ryland?" Ethan asked in a teasing tone.

"Just a friend." Kristina answered. "Kinda."

"Hey, this Ryland bloke is a lucky guy if you're spending any time with him." Ethan assured her.

"He's a hockey player on the school team." Kristina told him, pulling out a book for her English literature class. "He's pretty busy with practices and stuff so we only get to see each other every once in a while."

"If you want to go out tonight love, I'll manage." Ethan said slowly.

"I think I can miss a night with Ryland for an old friend." Kristina grinned.

"What book's that?" Ethan asked as she settled in on the couch across the room.

"Wuthering Heights, the classic romance. Molly would love it." Kristina grinned.

"Will you read to me?" He asked suddenly.

"I think I can do that." Kristina smiled, getting up and resettling herself on the corner of the bed beside him. "_1801- I have just returned from a visit to my landlord- the solitary neighbour that I shall be troubled with_." Kristina began.


	20. Chapter 20: Message on a Bottle

"I've got an order here ready for you." Luke smiled when Kristina walked into Kellys two days later.

"Hi Mr. Spencer." Kristina smiled nervously at him. "It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too sweet heart." Luke acknowledged. "Care to join me for a coffee?" He invited.

"Actually Mr. Spencer, I"m just here to pick up some food for my study partner and I." Kristina declined. "But thanks for asking."

"Kristina, I'm thinking that you aren't surprised to see me." Luke continued. "Almost like you knew I was coming home."

"Lulu mentioned you were home the other day." Kristina told him honestly.

"I'm thinking that you knew I was home because one of my other kids told you I'd be home after he got home." Luke deadpanned her. "Kristina, I'm thinking that Dodger showed up on your doorstep like a long lost puppy."

"I don't have a lost puppy Mr. Spencer." Kristina shrugged.

"Well, you keep your eyes open honey. Strays find their way into good homes." Luke shrugged.

* * *

><p>"Your dad asked me if I saw you." Kristina told him as she unpacked the food.<p>

"Did you tell him I was here?" Ethan asked, looking better and well enough to sit up in bed for some solid food.

"You asked me to let you tell him." Kristina reminded. "But I'm pretty sure he knows."

"Why do you say that?" Ethan asked tilting his head.

"He added something in with the delivery. This." Kristina held up one of the bags and pulled out a bottle of good scotch.

"He loves me!" Ethan broke into a huge smile.

"I think he wanted to tell you something too." Kristina decided.

"And why now?" Ethan tilted his head again. Kristina didn't speak but turned the bottle around so he could see the word COMPLETED written across the label in thick black marker. "You're right." He shrugged, laughing.

* * *

><p>The next day Kristina walked into the Haunted Start and strode purposely to the bar where Luke was shining a glass. He stared at her but said nothing. She pulled the empty bottle of scotch out of her bag and put it on the bar and walked out wordlessly. Luke turned the bottle around and smiled, seeing the words 'Me Too' scrawled underneath his own message.<p>

* * *

><p>"I am going to class and then see Ryland for a coffee after class." Kristina told him as she picked up her purse and keys. "Are you sure you're going to be OK?" She asked for the twelfth time. It was a week later and while she had been going to class and work, she still worried about leaving him home; even though it was obvious he was well enough to leave. The fact he didn't told her he wasn't ready to.<p>

"I will be fine." Ethan assured her. "I am going to watch a little TV, maybe read a little more from the book and worry about you out with some bloke I don't know."

"Don't read without me." She sighed. "I kinda like reading it together."

"I do too." Ethan assured her. "Go to class and don't worry." She headed out the door and he settled in with the remote control. It wasn't until a whole boring daytime soap had gone by and half of the next one was on that there was a knock at the door. He quietly got up and walked to the door to look out the peep hole. Luke stared back at him through the window.

"Open up Dodge, I know you're in there." Luke told him. Ethan opened the door and headed back to the bed while Luke let himself in. "Well, isn't this cosy." He grinned.

"It's not a bad hiding spot." Ethan shrugged.

"With eye candy too." Luke acknowledged. "Just how long do you think that you can stay here while no one finds you?"

"A little while yet." Ethan said cryptically.

"Well, I'm thinking that since you know I completed mine and you completed yours that we're safe here in good old Port Chuck." Luke drawled. "And I'm thinking that since you're up and around, you're better from whatever ailed you." He took a breath. "And I'm guessing that you feel like since you've been through hell and back you deserve a little bit more time with your pure and good lovely Miss Corrinthos. It won't make you forget what you've been through and what you've done Dodger, trust me."

"I know there's no forgetting where I've been and what I've had to do." Ethan levelled with him. "That's one of the first differences between you and I. I don't try to forget. I accept it and hope others do too."

"And she will." Luke decided after a minute. "Because you did the same for her."

"We're past that." Ethan sighed. "We have been since the day it happened."

"I'm glad for you." Luke told him honestly. "But I hope that you know what you're doing."

"I don't have any plans. I'm living in the minute." Ethan replied. "Just like my old man."

* * *

><p>He realized that she had fallen asleep when she didn't laugh at the joke in the book. He had been reading to her as they lay in bed together for the first time since that first night. He put the book down and watched her as she slept. Was this really fair of him, he wondered. Did he have the right to want her so badly after he had pushed her away so hard? Did he really love her like he thought he did? He had thought he loved Maya but he had never once missed her when she had been supposedly in Philadelphia like he had missed Kristina while he was away. Did he have the right to love her? She was so young and inexperienced yet he had devoured the world and been devoured by it at times. He didn't have the means to support her without his ill-gotten gains and didn't know if he could become the honest man she deserved. Could he give up the business that he knew so well to become that man she needed? Her slight shiver brought him back to the present and he decided to fall back on his philosophy of living in the minute. He might never get to hold her like this again. He reached down and pulled the blanket up over her and nudged her closer until he could slide his arm under her head like a pillow and he leaned on his side to watch her sleep. In the minutes that followed he realized that he was the most at peace with himself that he had ever been. With this happy thought, his eyes drooped shut and he slept.<p> 


	21. Chapter 21: Life Interrupts

Kristina snuggled closer to the warmth and sighed in content. Fuzzy from the morning haze in her head, she wound her arm around Ethan in a lazy way and rested her hand on his back. She shifted and breathed in the scent of him. Slowly, her eyes opened and she found herself lost in his pools of dark chocolate.

"Good morning." His voice rough from the night was into her ear and she felt his breath tickle her.

"Morning." She greeted, closing her eyes again and snuggling in once more. "I feel so safe here with you."

"That's cause I'd never let anyone hurt you." Ethan reasoned. They laid quietly for a minute.

"You're leaving today, aren't you." It was a statement that she bit out.

"It's time." Ethan answered tightening his arm around her. "But I'm not leaving town any time soon. I can't hide out forever."

"I was getting used to having you all to myself." Kristina sighed.

"It's not like I'm disappearing." Ethan reassured her. "I'm always going to be here for you."

"Thanks." Kristina smiled.

"Kristina." Ethan chose his words very carefully. "I wouldn't have gotten through these last few months without knowing I had a home to come home to." He took a breath. "These last few days, you taking care of me was one of the first times in my life I put my trust completely in someone else and you don't know how hard that was for me."

"I'd glad I could be here for when you came home and that you chose to put that trust into me." Kristina answered. They began to drift apart and slowly climb out of bed. "I'm going to get a shower. Then we'll have breakfast at Kelly's before you head back home." She decided.

"Sounds like a plan." He agreed almost sadly as she grabbed her towel and headed to the showers.

* * *

><p>Kristina was standing in her robe and a towel wrapped around her hair when there was a knock at her door. Ethan was in the shower and she quickly looked around to make sure there were no traces of him before she opened the door. For the first time in days, she opened the door widely, revealing more than a crack into her room. She was startled to see her father and mother standing in front of her.<p>

"Hi honey." Alexis breezed into the room and sat down on her bed. "Your father and I came to take you to breakfast."

"You've been working so hard and no one in the family's seen you for a while so we thought we'd steal you away. How does that sound?" Sonny walked into the room too, resting on the shelves in front of her window.

"I, ah," Kristina's mind raced with an excuse and she didn't know what to say, forgetting to hold the door open and heard it close gently behind her. "I actually had plans today."

"Well, break them." Sonny shrugged. "We're not taking no for an answer."

"Love, I can honestly say that I feel like a million bucks." Ethan announced, coming through the door with a towel slung low on his hips and stopping short seeing Sonny and Alexis. "I can explain."

"You're moving home." Alexis sputtered after a minute. "Today."

"Mom, listen." Kristina started until Alexis pointed a finger at her, too shocked to speak. Alexis turned the finger to Sonny.

"I know I said not to be too rash and come down on her but I've changed my mind. Kill him." She suggested.

"Alright, this isn't how it looks." Ethan put his hands up but as the towel started to fall he grabbed it again.

"How's our favourite patient?" Johnny asked, letting himself in with the key as he had done this entire week. He saw the pained look on Kristina's face and the guilty one on Ethan's and started to chuckle until he looked over to the window and was speechless to see Sonny and Alexis standing there. Alexis continued to sputter realizing that Johnny had a key to Kristina's room and Sonny's eyes hardened dangerously. "Oh boy." Johnny sighed, looking over helplessly at Kristina. "I guess the jig is up."

"The jig is up?" Sonny repeated. "I come into my daughter's dorm room to find them in towels and you're just letting yourself in?" Sonny almost laughed.

"I can explain." Ethan repeated, knowing it wouldn't do any good.

"Then try." Alexis took a deep breath. "And do it quick because I don't know how long I want to try to hold him back."

"I got back with Luke a few days ago." Ethan began. "I was wounded after being jumped by some unfriendly gentlemen who didn't take a liking to my father."

"You can understand that." Johnny reminded Sonny.

"Ethan made it here and I've been taking care of him until he could leave. He was leaving today." Kristina finished. "That's why I've been avoiding everyone."

"And how are you involved and why do you have a key to my daughter's dorm room?" Alexis turned to Johnny.

"Johnny is Ethan's best friend Mom, I could only call him." Kristina sighed.

"I've been having my men watch this place to make sure there was no danger and it was just easier in case anything happened to have my own key." Johnny filled in. "I was going to give it back as soon as Ethan left. I swear."

"Give it to me." Sonny spoke. He extended his hand and Johnny dropped the key card into his palm. He slid his hand into his pocket. "Get dressed." He told his daughter and took Alexis' hand to lead her out into the hallway. "We're all going to breakfast." He let the door close behind them.

"Are you INSANE?" Alexis demanded. "What are you thinking leaving them in there like that?"

"Alexis, I'm trying something new." Sonny tried to calm her down. "What we've been doing clearly hasn't been working as she's inside with two of the worst choices in men for her." Sonny reasoned.

"So we should be in there with them, doing it your old way!" Alexis threw her hands up. "Since when have you been the calm and rational one when it comes to our daughter and men?" She demanded. "I don't like that you've chosen this minute to start accepting the fact she's growing up and that you're not as angry as I am."

"I am as angry as you are." Sonny told her honestly.

"THEN START SHOWING IT!" Alexis cried out.

"You know who might be able to help us with this?" Sonny asked amused that Alexis was finally OK with his 'old way'.

"Who?" Alexis asked, folding her arms across her chest.

"Carly. She deals well with Kristina." He pulled out his phone. "And I'm starting to think that she didn't do this all on her own."

* * *

><p>"Hey, are you here to meet Dad too?" Michael asked, coming off the elevator at the hotel restaurant and spying Dante sitting at a large table with Carly.<p>

"Yup. I don't know why though." Dante said quizzically. "I just got a cryptic text asking me to meet him here."

"Hey, what are you guys doing here?" Sam asked, getting off the second elevator with Jason. "Mom called and asked us to meet her here for breakfast.

"Well, Sonny called and said he needed a big table with privacy." Carly explained.

"Maybe it's something serious." Michael turned to look at the elevator door as it opened to reveal Sonny, Alexis, Kristina, Johnny and Ethan. "Oh, no." Michael moaned.

"So you did know." Sonny nodded. "I thought so. You were covering for her too much. "

"Know what?" Dante asked confused, reaching for his water.

"You didn't know." Sonny concluded. "Stay. You're going to love this."

"Didn't know what?" Carly asked, looking from Sonny to Johnny and back again.

"Know that Kristina had been shacked up with Ethan and Johnny in her dorm room for the last few weeks." Alexis supplied miserably, falling into a seat. Dante spit the water he was drinking out in a great fountain. Carly's mouth dropped open and stayed that way. Sam sighed and shook her head. "I'm going to need a drink. A stiff one." Alexis told Carly.

"I can help you with that Natasha." Luke appeared out of nowhere.

* * *

><p>"Look, I can confirm for you that Dodger has been with me for months." Luke told everyone as they ate the breakfast laid out in front of them. "He's only been back for a bit."<p>

"So he came back to our daughter." Alexis shrugged.

"I came back to my home." Ethan said amicably. "Where I have family and friends."

"Yet you chose to see none of them and went to my daughter." Sonny pointed out.

"Kristina is a friend, remember?" Ethan asked the table.

"He was hurt Dad." Kristina sighed. "He couldn't have made it anywhere else."

"Of course he couldn't." Alexis smiled.

"Look, we tried to move him somewhere else but it wasn't an option." Johnny told them all.

"Because you showed up hurt and bleeding on my daughter's door step, hoping she would take care of you." Sonny decided looking at Ethan for the first time.

"I get that. She's been in so many accidents and the hospital so much that she, a freshman in college taking pre-law, could manage a man with a knife wound." Alexis nodded sarcastically.

"We had a doctor come look at him." Kristina pointed out.

"So you did take him to the hospital. And none of the good doctors there would care to let me know my 18 year old daughter had come in with a man who had a knife wound?" Alexis started talking with her hands; a sure sign she was getting worked up again.

"I had the doctor come to us." Johnny put in.

"Look." Sonny cleared his throat and took his time with the next sentence. He had one of his grins on his face. "It doesn't matter what happened and who knew. What matters now is: where do we go from here?" He asked the table.

"We know that." Alexis looked at him quizzically. "She moves home."

"I'm not moving home Mom." Kristina sighed.

"We had an agreement." Alexis jabbed her finger at her daughter. "This isn't working."

"Except for this, I have had great grades and other than this, which I'm not seeing as a problem honestly, I'm fine and it's working." Kristina argued.

"Kristina has been living the normal college life." Dante put in, thinking of his little sister partying.

"She's been doing all kinds of things on campus." Michael added in her defence. "She hasn't been in too much danger."

"She has calmed down quite a bit." Sam added quietly. "There's been so much less drama for her this year."

"She's a dream employee." Carly added. "Can I add my opinion here?"

"Please do." Sonny invited.

"I think that it was a shock for you to find out that Kristina's been taking care of Ethan this way." Carly started. Johnny laughed out loud, thinking of their faces at that moment. "But really, they've told you it's been harmless and they are just friends. She was helping him out, just like she would have done for Michael."

"Thank you." Kristina sighed.

"I'm out numbered." Alexis sat back.

"Alexis, I have the key that Johnny had. We can pop in Kristina's room whenever we like." Sonny decided. "I think that's punishment enough."

"I have nothing to hide." Kristina sighed as everyone else looked at her with wide eyes. "Well, not anymore." She grinned.


	22. Chapter 22: Repercussions and Truth

"Well, that went much better than the last time her parents found you two together." Luke told him when they got back to the Haunted Star.

"I'm not on the way to the Pine Barrens." Ethan shrugged, looking around.

"Feel good to be home Dodger?" Luke drawled, pouring them a glass.

"It does." Ethan nodded. "I'm glad to be here to enjoy it."

"I wouldn't have been able to do what I did without you son." Luke acknowledged. "I'm proud of you."

"The thing is?" Ethan rolled a ball through the roulette wheel. "I don't know if I am." The sound of the ball was the only answer to his statement. "For the first time in my life, a scam hasn't felt good." Luke waited a long moment before answering.

"Sounds like your world has gone topsy turvey my friend." Luke decided. "It ain't gonna look right for a while yet I'm guessing."

* * *

><p>"How much trouble are you in?" Michael asked, sitting across from Kristina at Kelly's.<p>

"Actually, none." Kristina put down her pen. "I was shocked. I figured I'd be home and chained to Mom for classes."

"I did too." Michael told her. "I thought Dad would have lost it."  
>"Especially after he found us half naked." Kristina agreed.<p>

"Come again?" Michael tilted his head, questioning her.

"I thought it came out somewhere in the story." Kristina sighed. "We were in towels. We had just gotten out of the shower."

"Together?" Michael opened his eyes wide.

"What? No." She assured. "I had gotten out and Ethan got in while I was supposed to be getting dressed. I got interrupted by Mom and Dad and before I knew it, Ethan was back from his shower."

"Oh, it can get worse." Michael sighed. "And you're still breathing though?"

"I know!" Kristina grinned.

"Listen, Krissy, I have to ask." Michael took a sip of her soda. "Did anything happen with you and Ethan?"

"No." Kristina answered honestly. "I mean, I won't lie. I don't know what my feelings are for him anymore. I just helped him like he would have done for me."

"Ok. I just wanted to check. I don't want you to get all wrapped up and hurt. And I especially didn't want you to mess up anything with Ryland over something that might not be with Ethan."

"My turn." Kristina picked her pen back up. "You haven't mentioned Abby lately."

"We are having some problems." Michael hung his head. "She's working, I'm in school. After classes I've been doing some work at ELQ but she's there day in and day out. She likes the corporate world and I'm not sure I do yet."

"Have you talked to her about this?" Kristina asked.

"We aren't really talking about our relationship right now." Michael ran a hand through his hair.

"Maybe you should Michael." Kristina pointed out. "I mean, you could talk to me about it."

* * *

><p>"It is true." Lulu came down the steps in the Haunted Star. "You're back too."<p>

"There's usually truth to some rumours." Ethan grinned, genuinely glad to see his little sister and he hugged her tightly.

"Well, I'd like to talk about the rumours of finding you and my little sister in towels." Dante asked, pulling up a stool at the bar.

"You sure about that one mate?" Ethan teased.

"I'm a little scared to admit yes." Dante sighed.

"Well, then." Ethan reached underneath the bar and pulled out a bottle of scotch. "You may need a few shots of this first."

"I'm good." Dante laughed. "But seriously, you better not have brought any trouble down on my little sister's door."

"Spencers never bring trouble home, you should know that by now." Luke came out of the back. "We go away to make it."

"Welcome back." Lulu hugged her Dad. "We were worried about you."

"Don't know why." Luke told her. "You knew I'd make it home at some point."

"We were just worried it might be in a pine box." Lulu told him honestly.

* * *

><p>"This is something we haven't seen in a while." Amber commented, walking into the open door of Kristina's dorm room and jumped on her bed.<p>

"What's that?" Kristina asked, looking up from her textbook confused.

"Your door open." Casey finished crawling up beside Amber on the bed. "And it's about time you told us what's up." She added, patting the seat next to her.

"You're right." Kristina agreed sighing. She climbed on the bed and nestled into the pillows. If she was going to have good friends she had to be honest with them. "It's a lot to handle."

"Good thing we brought chocolate." Amber grinned, pulling a bag out of her hoodie pouch, sharing it around.

"Well, we're going to need it." Kristina smiled. "So, remember how you talked about the guys in suits at my Dad's house? They're his body guards. My dad is a mobster." She admitted. "Well, he has real businesses too. And I've got kinda a crazy family. My oldest brother is a cop but we only found out about him a couple of years ago. My oldest sister is Sam, she a private detective and is marrying my Dad's best friend and business partner. We didn't meet her for a while because Mom gave her up for adoption. And you've met Michael, who is my brother and my best friend in the entire world." Kristina counted.

"And Morgan and Molly, the most adorable kids in the world." Casey checked off her fingers. "Any more siblings?"

"None that I know of for now, at least." Kristina grinned. "My whole family thinks I'm a little girl and shouldn't ever grow up. To be fair, I've given them reasons to worry. I spent the better half of the last ten years hating my father. In that time, my therapist has since told me, I looked for men to love me because I didn't feel like I had it from him. I dated a guy who beat me up for nearly a year before he hospitalized me twice and then my mother killed him; totally by accident. I survived a car bomb when I was pretending to date my Dad's enemy and then the father of the of abusive boyfriend went on a shooting rampage, nearly killing me when the police commissioner shot him instead." Kristina listed. "That's just the Coles Notes too, leaving out a whole lot of other stuff."

"That's a lot of baggage." Amber agreed. "But that doesn't explain why you've had your door closed."

"Through it all, there's been this guy." Kristina sighed.

"There's always a guy." Casey sighed.

"I love that there's always a guy!" Amber smiled dreamily. "Who's this guy?"

"Ethan. He's a little older than me but he's been an amazing friend. Just a friend, he's tried to tell me a hundred times. I had this major crush on him and I think, that's what kept me sane through everything." Kristina decided. "He was there for me through everything, even though I almost got him killed a few times. But through it all, he listened, he was patient and he was kind. He gave me advice when I needed it and a kick in the ass when I needed that too."

"I'm guessing your parents hate him." Amber said quietly.

"They have hated him for me because I was so in love with him and I had been so wrong about guys in the past. They were worried because he's older and he's got a past." Kristina told them.

"Who doesn't?" Casey shrugged her shoulders.

"It is how we get to the present." Amber acknowledged.

"This is him." Kristina reached into her beside drawer and pulled out the frame she usually kept hidden there. "We were dancing at my father's wedding."

"To Carly?" Casey asked.

"No, to Brenda Barrett, the super model." Kristina sighed. "But that didn't last long. I had just caught the bouquet and I was sure it meant I was going to marry him. Even though at the time, he was married."

"He's married?" Casey asked, zooming in with her eyes. "You're involved with a married man?"

"Nope. He couldn't ever cheat on his wife." Kristina softened. "That's one of the best things about him. He's so loyal. He was married for a short time because of a deal with her family for money. He only went along with it because she asked him to. She ended up cheating on him and it hurt him more than I ever want to."

"That's cold." Amber sighed. "Why do people do that?"

"I don't know why anyone would cheat on him. He's the best guy in the whole world." Kristina sighed, looking at the picture. "He had to leave at the beginning of this year to help his family. He's been gone so long I wondered if he was coming back because he had told me he thought he'd only be gone a couple of weeks. I was starting to wonder if something happened to him."

"Did it?" Casey asked.

"He showed up here the other night." Kristina shared. "He was hurt. I kept him here and got him better. He went home today, but only after my parents came in to see us in towels."

"So that was the mysterious older guy who's been coming and going on the stairs into your room." Amber ginned.

"No, actually, that was his best friend Johnny. He's kinda a mobster too. He and Dad have made peace but they still hate each other. Dad was married to his sister and she ended up going crazy and dying. But he's another guy that's always been so good to me. I knew it'd be OK to call him but I couldn't tell anyone else that Ethan was here." Kristina swore to them. "I didn't know if he was in trouble and had to hide."

"Well, was he just a friend this visit?" Amber demanded. "Or was it more?"

"I don't know." Kristina sighed. "It was the same but different at the same time. He was glad to be home and I know he was glad to see me."

"But..." Casey prompted.

"But he still kept his distance at times and even told me to go out when Ryland called." Kristina shared. "It was different between us this time but I don't know if it was just because he was home and I was taking care of him."

"Is he staying around so you can figure all of this out?" Amber asked quietly.

"This is his home now. He isn't going anywhere he says." Kristina smiled a bit.

"So," Casey reached for her picture again. "Were you happy to see him?"

"I was." Kristina decided. "I missed having him around to protect me."

"You haven't been getting into much trouble lately." Amber sighed.

"I don't think Mom would agree with that." Sam said from the doorway. "Hi girls."

"Hi Sam." Kristina had expected her sister to visit but not on the same day. "Come on in and join the party."

"Actually, I was wondering if I could speak to you alone for a bit?" Sam asked. "I just wanted to touch base and see how you are."

"That's our cue." Casey grinned. "I'll let you know when we go for dinner. We'll talk more then." She and Casey dislodged themselves from the mound of pillows and climbed down.

"Hold it." Sam held up her hand. "Leave the chocolate." She teased.

"You got it." Amber dropped the bag back on the bed. "But you owe me a bag Corrinthos."

"See you later." Kristina kicked her friend in the butt. "How's Mom?"

"Still confused about how everything played out today." Sam admitted, taking Casey's spot on the bed. "But mostly worried."

"I'm fine." Kristina sighed. "I wasn't in any danger with Ethan or Johnny."

"But they could have brought danger to you not meaning to." Sam told her honestly. "And I'm a little worried that they would put you in that situation."

"Ethan didn't have a choice. He was hurt and he just came here." Kristina told Sam.

"And how do you feel about that Krissy?" Sam asked, switching thoughts. "It must be confusing for you."

"I don't know. It's like I was just telling Casey and Amber. It was so good to have him home and have him here again." Kristina shared. "He has always protected me."

"He has always maintained that you were just friends and I think that we're all wondering now if that was true." Sam told her.

"You guys aren't the only ones." Kristina sighed. "But I'm not getting my hopes up because I don't know where I want to go with it myself. Even if Ethan cares about me."

"Can you do me a favour?" Sam sighed, trying to give the girl a break.

"Sure." Kristina agreed.

"Can you explain to me why Mom can't stop saying 'towels'?" Sam laughed. "I'm thinking it has something to do with this morning."


	23. Chapter 23: Stiletto Soldiers

"So we have decided you need a little cheering up." Casey sat down at the table Kristina was studying at in the library a couple of weeks later.

"You did did you?" Kristina asked. "I didn't know I was down."

"You have been moping since Ethan has come home and isn't living in your room." Amber explained. "Don't think we haven't noticed he hasn't been the most regular visitor."

"He's spending time with his family and getting their business up and running again." Kristina told them. "He can't just drop it all to spend time with me."

"Whatever the excuse is a good excuse for us to party." Casey shrugged. "So we're kidnapping you." She shut the text book.

"Really." Kristina sat back and watched as her two friends packed up her stuff.

"And what exactly is the party?"

"We are going to the underage club." Amber told her.

"I'm not supposed to be going there." Kristina sighed. "I really shouldn't go there."

"We thought you might say that." Casey's eyes sparkled. "You definitely can't go against your Dad's wishes?"

"I can't." Kristina surprised herself by answering.

"Then we're going to have to use these." Amber grinned wickedly, placing three IDs on the table in front of Kristina.

"I'm so glad she listens to her Daddy." Casey grinned, pulling Kristina up and towards the door.

* * *

><p>"Oh, my god." Kristina stumbled on the docks in her heels. "I so should not have drunk that second drink."<p>

"You counted? I lost count." Casey slurred. "I think I should have stopped after the third third."

"Light weights." Amber sat down. "I can't walk."

"Come on." Kristina laughed, pulling on her. "On your feet. Stiletto Soldiers do not go down."

"Nope." Casey announced. "WE GET DOWN!" They all joined in.

"I'm down." Amber laughed, sitting down on the ground, Indian style. "I can't go on."

"Yet on we march!" Casey decided enough was enough, reached down to pull Amber up by the armpits and ended up toppling over, pulling Kristina down too. They laid on the docks, shrieking in laughter at each other.

"Well, well, well." Anthony chuckled from the stairs. The laughter died in Kristina's throat. "What do we have here?" He started down the stairs.

"Casey, Amber, get up now." Kristina demanded. She scrambled up and helped Casey pull up Amber. To their credit, they realized the tone of her voice and concentrated on standing still beside her. "What do you want?"

"You're awfully defensive Kitty Cat." Anthony held up his hands. "I just stopped to make sure that you were OK. I mean, you were laying on the ground."

"We're fine." Kristina replied.

"Your father would be happy to know that." Anthony decided. "But I'd refrain from telling him you'd been out on the docks late at night alone."

"What I tell my father is my business." Kristina declared. "I'd probably refrain from telling him that you stopped me and my friends on the docks too. Because that would lead to unpleasant events."

"Kitty Cat, your claws are razor sharp." Anthony grinned. "I am always surprised when you pull them out."

"I'm a Corrinthos." Kristina declared. "You shouldn't be surprised at anything I do." She pulled Casey and Amber's arms and headed up the stairs and headed to the lighted areas of streets to get a cab.

* * *

><p>'<em>I need to see you. Can you meet me at Kellys<em>?' Kristina texted. She reached for a drink of her coffee over her book. The reply was quick. '_Give me 5_.'

"Can I get you anything else Krissy?" Mike asked.

"I'm good for now Grandpa." Kristina smiled back at him. "Unless you happen to have any fresh baked cookies hiding in the back."

"I might have some kicking around." He grinned. "Let me see what I can find."

"Thank you." She grinned. She was so engrossed her in book that she didn't notice when he slid the cookies on the table next to her.

"Hey, what's up?" Johnny slid into the seat on the other side of the table.

"I don't want to make trouble." Kristina told him.

"Are you OK?" He asked, quietly studying her.

"I'm fine." Kristina assured him. "If I tell Ethan he'll go to you anyways and that puts your friendship in crappy places. If I tell Mom, she'll freak. If I tell Dad or Jason, it'll be bad."

"What's going on?" Johnny asked, leaning in.

"I went out the other night with my friends and we decided to walk back to campus." Kristina explained. "We were carrying on and before I knew it, Anthony was in front of us."

"What did my father say?" Anthony asked.

"Just to not walk on the docks so late, not to tell my Daddy. He keeps calling me Kitty Cat. It's weird." Kristina grimaced.

"I'm sorry. I'll talk to him again." Johnny sighed. "Did he make any direct threat?"

"He didn't, I did." Kristina admitted. "He makes me scared Johnny."

"If he comes near you again, don't even hesitate to call me. As soon as you see him Krissy." Johnny told her. "My father's become unpredictable and he's starting to do more and more things behind my back."

"I will." Kristina agreed.

"There's my girl." Ryland came in the door with a group of his teammates. He smiled seeing her and wrapped her up in a hug.

"Ryland." Kristina smiled, kissing him quickly. "I was wondering if you'd ever show up."

"I couldn't get rid of these jokers." Ryland indicated his teammates. "They want to go get our shirts for Awards night. We're still on for Saturday, right?"

"I can't wait to get all prettied up and say 'I'm with Rookie of the Year." Kristina laughed.

"You're always pretty without effort." Ryland grinned.

"Good answer." She kissed him again. "Oh, I'm sorry. Ryland, this is my friend Johnny." She realized Johnny was still there.

"Hey man, what's going on?" Ryland asked.

"Not much." Johnny replied.

"You go with the boys. I work tonight but call me later?" Kristina asked.

"You got it." Ryland kissed her lightly. He headed out the door with his friends.

"So, that's Ryland." Johnny asked grinning.

"That's Ryland." Kristina blushed. "He's a good guy."

"We'll wait and see on that one. Big plans on Saturday?" He asked casually.

"It's the sports awards banquet for the university association. This year it's PCU's turn to host it and the whole university is in on it, it's much earlier than anything else to accommodate all the sport seasons. It's actually a pretty big deal. They've rented out the hotel restaurant and it's a fancy dress kinda thing. Since I didn't get to go to prom, I'm really looking forward to it."

"Well, have fun." Johnny decided it was time to go. "Don't forget what I said about my father. Call me if he comes near you again."

"I promise." Kristina assured him and got back to her text book as he headed out the door.

* * *

><p>"Johnny! I've found some lovely roses." Anthony entered the penthouse with arms full of flowers.<p>

"What have you been up to?" Johnny asked his father evenly.

"I've been picking flowers." Anthony answered evenly. "You always believe the worst in me Johnny, it hurts."

"Can you blame me?" Johnny asked. "When you're running around looking for Kitty Cats."

"Just stray ones that should be put into bags and drown to control the population." Anthony shrugged. "But she does have pretty sharp claws Johnny, I can see why you are attracted to the young girl."

"Kristina Corrinthos is Claudia." Johnny reminded him. "She is a misguided woman who needs reminding she is worth something to somebody rather than wondering if her father will ever love her."

"She has worth John. She has great worth." Anthony agreed, walking away.

* * *

><p>"I need to see Sonny." Johnny came into the restaurant the next day.<p>

"He's in a meeting." The maitre d' told him.

"Tell him I'm here, and tell him it's important." Johnny repeated. Within a minute, Johnny was headed into the office where Jason and Sonny sat.

"What is it?" Sonny asked impatiently.

"Give Kristina a guard." Johnny demanded. "Or one of mine can do it."

"Is she under threat from you?" Jason asked raising an eyebrow.

"I've done all that I can to protect that little girl." Johnny shook his head. "My father has approached her a couple of times. She hasn't told you because she doesn't want any bloodshed." Johnny filled him in while Sonny slammed down his glass. "He's got a fixation on her and I don't want the responsibility of knowing."

"Your father has gone too far Johnny. You should know that." Sonny bit out.

"Why do you think I'm here?" Johnny demanded. "I will not kill my own father Sonny; no matter how bad it gets."

"You just signed his death certificate." Sonny looked him in the eye.

"Believe me, I know it. " Johnny sighed and added. "Better than pulling the trigger." He turned and left.


	24. Chapter 24: Oh my guard!

Kristina was taking notes on the debate going in her history of law class when the door to the room quietly opened, surprising the professor.

"History of law?" The professor asked. Milo looked around, spotted Kristina and grinned.

"I guess." He moved to sit down near her.

"Are you enrolled in this course?" The professor asked.

"I'm just here to watch." Milo answered. "Please, go ahead Professor."

Kristina's cheeks began to burn and she was furious. When the professor continued his lesson, she couldn't concentrate. If something was wrong, Milo would ask to talk to her. But what in the hell could he want if he was just watching her? Kristina tried to concentrate but she couldn't focus on the lesson with this hanging her head. When the professor closed the lesson and headed out the door, she turned to Milo.

"What in the hell are you doing here?" Kristina turned to Milo.

"Sonny just told me to come and hang out with you." Milo shrugged. "He said you could call him if you had any questions."

"This is unbelievable." Kristina muttered. "I'm not even calling I'm just going to see him. Where is he?"

"He's probably at the restaurant." Milo answered. She sighed and turned to head to the lot and as she turned towards her car Milo stopped her. "This way."

"My car is this way." Kristina shook her head.

"No, it isn't." Johnny pointed to the car and driver waiting at the curb.

"I'm not leaving my car here." Kristina said stubbornly.

"It's been taking in for servicing?" Milo tried.

"ARG!" Kristina cried out in frustration. "I'm going to kill him."

* * *

><p>"Who in the hell do you think you are?" Kristina stormed into Sonny's office, interrupting a meeting with Jason and Bernie.<p>

"Your father?" Sonny had expected a phone call rather than a visit. "And I expect some manners and respect from my kids."

"Give some and you'll get some." Kristina retorted. "SIT DOWN." She commanded when Jason and Bernie began to rise to leave. They sat. "This won't take long." She took a breath. "I want my car back and Milo gone."

Sonny smiled and sat back. He eyed Kristina and after a moment, he asked,

"Why didn't you tell me Anthony had been threatening you?"

"He hasn't." Kristina sighed.

"Has Anthony Zacchara talked to you at all." Sonny clarified.

"He's talked to me." Kristina sighed.

"Then he's been threatening you." Sonny shouted standing up.

"He hasn't directly." Kristina matched his volume and frustration. "I am not going to have a driver and guards!"

"You will if I say you will!" Sonny got louder.

"I DON'T NEED THEM!" Kristina won the volume contest.

"If Anthony Zacchara is approaching you then you do!" Sonny screamed. "End of discussion."

"What discussion?" Kristina demanded. "I never had a say in it!"

"You don't get one." Sonny shrugged.

"So what are you going to do now, go kill Anthony? What, if I don't follow your orders you're going to kill me too?" Kristina demanded.

"Don't be ridiculous." Sonny sat down again.

"I don't get it." Kristina broke. "I don't get how you live, I don't get how you can live with yourself. But I love you and I'm caught up in this whole mess." Tears slipped down her face. "I don't want guards and drivers. I don't want this life. I don't want YOUR life."

"Come here." Sonny rounded the desk and had her scooped up in his arms within a heartbeat. Jason and Bernie slid out of the room silently. "I know you didn't ask for this and I'm sorry." He apologized.

"I don't want to live scared. I did that with Keifer and I don't want to do it again." Kristina sobbed.

"I know." Sonny choked up. "But the guards make it so that you don't have to be scared. They aren't scary, they're safety."

"I don't want to be reminded that I'm in constant danger just because you're my Dad." Kristina wiped a tear away.

"I wish it was different. I wish I didn't have to put guards on the people that I love." Sonny told her. "But it's a reality that we face. I wouldn't be able to live if anything happened to you. I don't want anything to happen to you."

* * *

><p>"You might have to talk to Kristina." Jason sat next to Sam on their couch.<p>

"What now?" Sam asked sighing.

"Anthony's been approaching her." Jason rested his head on the back of the couch.

"What?" Sam sat forward. "What do you mean approaching her?"

"He hasn't threatened her directly she says. But she hadn't told Sonny." Jason turned his head to look at her. "Johnny came to Sonny this morning and told him. He can't control Anthony anymore."

"What did Sonny do?" Sam asked, running her hand through her hair.

"Exactly what he should have done. Put Milo on Kristina and gave her a car." Jason looked at her. "What do you think he should have done?"

"Oh, god." Sam looked at him. "How bad did she react?"

"It was bad." Jason told her. "I don't ever want a teenage daughter."

"She hasn't been a teenager for a very long time." Sam reminded.

"I know Kristina's been through a lot." Jason acknowledged. "It was scary though."

"You were scared?" Sam asked, bemused.

"She was Sonny." Jason sat forward, setting his elbows on his knees. "She was standing there, screaming at him and I thought for a second, it was Sonny. When he is so far gone that no one can reach him."

* * *

><p>"Can you talk to Dad for me please?" Kristina begged when Michael opened the loft door, walking across to the counter where Dante and Lulu were eating. .<p>

"Come in?" Michael asked.

"What's going on?" Dante asked.

"Dad is being completely unreasonable and making me have guards and a driver." Kristina told them.

"A driver? You got a driver?" Lulu asked. "I'd like that."

"What happened that you need a guard and driver?" Dante used his detective skills.

"NOTHING." Kristina yelled. "That's what I'm having a problem with."

"I can't see Dad making you have guards and a driver over nothing." Michael told her.

"Anthony didn't even threaten me, he just talked to me." Kristina burst out.

"What do you mean Anthony just talked to you?" Michael and Dante demanded at the same time.

"NEVER MIND." Kristina threw up her hands. "I can see you two will be no help." She walked out of the loft.

* * *

><p>"Are you serious?" Alexis took a sip of the drink he had already poured.<br>"She has to stick with the guards." Sonny told her. "I mean it Alexis, until I can make sure she's safe, she needs to stay with them."

"Alright." Alexis sighed. "She's going to fight it, you know that."  
>"That's why we need to work together to make her realize that this is important." Sonny told her.<p>

"How do you think she's going to react when Anthony simply disappears? She's going to blame herself Sonny." Alexis sat forward.

"I have no intention of doing anything to Anthony." Sonny sat back looking at Alexis.

"She's going to blame herself." Alexis repeated. "Doesn't she blame herself for enough already?"


	25. Chapter 25: Rookie Mistake

"There he is." Kristina smiled as Ryland came through her open door. She was sitting on the window sill in her dorm room. "My favourite guy for the year."

"Could be Rookie of the year." Ryland grinned, coming forward. "Can I have my girl for a few minutes before I have to go to practice?" He eyed Casey and Amber who were sitting on her bed.

"You got it superstar." Casey smiled, crawling down.

"Good luck this weekend Handsome." Amber patted his shoulder on the way out, closing the door behind them.

"I'm getting nervous." Ryland approached her and settled between her legs, leaning on the shelf and into her for a hug.

"You'll win." Kristina wrapped her arms around him in a hug. She held him there for a minute. "I know it."

"Even if I don't win, I'll still have you there with me."

"Is that so?" Kristina grinned kissing him. "And am I better than a silly old trophy?"

"You bet that cute little ass of yours." He grinned, leaning in to kiss her. Boosting up, she wrapped her legs around him. He turned around, crossing the room towards her bed. He was about to lay her down on the bed when the door opened.

"Am I interrupting anything?" Ethan asked merrily. He took account of the situation and smiled. "I guess I am." He shrugged and headed over to settle in on Kristina's couch.

"Ethan." Kristina dropped her legs from around Ryland who moved back. "Have you met Ryland yet?"

"I have not." Ethan raised his boot to rest on his other knee.

"Ryland, this is my old friend Ethan." Kristina introduced, standing up.

"How ya doing mate?" Ethan grinned wickedly.

"I'd be better if you had better timing." Ryland shrugged. He didn't know if he liked the grin on this guy or not but he wasn't going to be pushed around. "Nice to meet you." Ryland sat on Kristina's bed.

"You too mate." Ethan grinned. "How's life?" He asked Kristina.

"Going." Kristina crossed the room and leaned back on the windowsill, not sure which side of the room to settle to. "You?"

"I'm good. Been busy." Ethan told her honestly.

"That's why you haven't been around much lately." Kristina reasoned. "Here I thought it was another bottle blonde."

"I do have a weakness for them." Ethan laughed. "You know me well. You're a golf player, right Ryland?"

"Hockey, actually." Ryland corrected. "A little different."

"They both have sticks and small balls." Ethan said decidedly.

"Hockey's played with a puck actually." Ryland wouldn't give in. "I have to get going." He got up, crossed the room and kissed Kristina. "I'll give you a shout after practice."

"K." Krissy smiled. "See you later."

"Catch you later man." Ryland tossed to Ethan on the way out the door.

"What's the hell Ethan?" Kristina asked.

"Can't an old friend stop by?" He asked sheepishly. "But it was kinda fun to run him off, I'll admit it."

* * *

><p>"Oh, god, Krissy, you look unbelievable." Amber cried out. Kristina smoothed out the dress she had so carefully chosen. The dress was one shoulder sheath that was fitted and clung to her body until it reached her calves where it flared out with a swirl of fabric. The navy was set off by the diamond earrings she had borrowed from Carly. Casey had swept her hair up into a chic smooth knot with tendrils falling in wispy curls. Her makeup was flawless thanks to Amber's skilled hand.<p>

"Are you sure it's not too much?" Kristina asked worriedly. Before she could answer there was a light knock and Milo allowed Ryland through the door.

"You look." Ryland took a deep breath. "Amazing."

"Thanks to us." Casey grinned, looking over at him. "You clean up nice."

"Thank you." Ryland did a little turn in his dark grey suit. "But I don't come close to you." He leaned forward and kissed Kristina lightly. "Ready to go?"

"Take lots of pictures!" Casey reminded. "And bring me home a doggy bag."

* * *

><p>"Kristina." The maitre d' smiled when Kristina and Ryland stepped off the elevator. "You sir, are a lucky man." He told Ryland.<p>

"Don't I know it." Ryland agreed.

"Duncan, this is Ryland." Kristina introduced. "Duncan is one of my bosses."

"Then you're just as lucky as me if you get to work with her." Ryland instantly won points with the man. "There's the coach, let's go say hi."

"See you later Duncan." Kristina kissed his cheek.

"He's handsome Kristina." Duncan whispered and winked.

Kristina spent the next two hours learning about sports networking. It was fascinating to learn the ins and outs of the sports business. Dinner was spent listening to stories and predictions for future seasons with different combinations of players and draft picks. Before the speeches began Kristina made her way to the ladies room. She was passing the greeter's station when she heard Duncan's voice.

"Gentlemen, I'm sorry our restaurant is closed for a private event." Glancing over, she smiled.

"Duncan, these gentlemen are friends of mine." Kristina stepped closer. "Maybe we could make an exception and find them a seat, please?"

Johnny and Ethan were caught off guard at the sight of Kristina in front of them.

"For you? I can squeeze them into a corner." Duncan smiled. "Give me a few minutes."

"Well, well, well." Ethan grinned. "Look at you now."

"You like?" Kristina gave a little twirl.

"A man would be a fool not to." Ethan shrugged leaning in and kissing her cheek. "And I'm no fool." His eyes twinkled.

"And what even has you all done up like this?" Johnny asked.

"University Association's athletic banquet." Kristina smiled. "Ryland's a shoe in for Rookie of the Year. I have to get back to our table before they start. Enjoy your dinner."

"Well, isn't he-" Johnny thought a second. "Athletic."

"No mate." Ethan stared after Kristina. "He's a lucky son of a bitch."

* * *

><p>"Congratulations." Kristina hugged him. "I'm so proud of you!"<p>

"This is freaking awesome!" Ryland was pumped. "Are you sure you're OK heading home alone? I would normally take you."

"I totally want you to celebrate with the guys. If I didn't have to work first thing in the morning I would be out with you." Kristina promised. "I am fine. Go! Have fun with the boys!" She pushed him.

"Come here first." He pulled her in close and kissed her. "Thanks for being here tonight."

"Thanks for bringing me." She countered. "I'll talk to you tomorrow." She headed towards the elevators. She waved to the bartenders and kissed Duncan's cheek then called the elevator when Johnny and Ethan pulled up.

"Heading home boys?" She grinned as they climbed on the elevator.

"We are. Thanks for getting us in to dinner." Johnny smiled. "I see your boyfriend won a trophy."

"He's really happy." Kristina supplied. "I'm so proud of him."

"Yet he's sending you home alone." Ethan pointed out.

"I have to work first thing." Kristina explained as they headed off the elevator and through the Lobby. "I want him to stay and celebrate."

"That's too bad." Ethan was sober when he said it although Johnny didn't buy it.

"The trials of a working girl." Kristina grinned.

"Can we give you a lift?" Johnny asked as they started down the steps.

"Milo is driving me these days." Kristina sighed. "I called him just before I headed down."

"Really?" Ethan stopped short in front of her. "What's with that?"

"Dad." Kristina sighed. "I don't have a choice. I had to beg to ditch the guard just for tonight and tonight only not to ruin the night for Ryland. Thanks for that by the way." She turned to Johnny.

"Better safe than sorry." Johnny kept heading down the stairs. Kristina started to reply when she saw the flashes. The sounds of gun shots were deafening and she jerked in shock when Ethan tackled her to the ground and covered her with his body. The shots rang out for what seemed forever and glass exploded and tires screeched. Glass fell on top of Ethan's back and the ground was cold and hard under Kristina.

"Are you hit?" Ethan asked, running his hands up and down her body. She looked at him with wide eyes but couldn't answer. "Krissy, answer me."  
>"I'm OK. I think." Kristina shook her head. "My face." She reached up to touch her cheek and pulled back to find blood. "It's just a scrape I think. Oh my god, are you OK?"<p>

"I'm fine. Let me see." He felt her head and checked for blood. "It's just a scrape." He confirmed. "You'll be OK. Johnny?" Ethan called out, not moving. Siren wailed in the night and they came closer and closer.

"I'm good." Johnny bellied towards them. "Is she hit?"

"No. We're both good." Ethan answered. He looked down into Kristina's eyes. "Krissy, are you sure? You didn't hit your head of anything?"

"I," She started, squeezing her eyes shut. "I'm," She tried again.

"It's OK love." Ethan knew she was reliving it. "I've got you." He sighed, resting his forehead on hers.

"Here we go. Crazy police scenes." Johnny sighed as the police cars screeched up to them. He reached down as Ethan rolled to the side and they helped her up.

Kristina moaned at the sight of her dress. The thin gauze of the shoulder strap had been ripped and it was starting to fall off. Ethan pulled off his jacket and put it around her shoulders.

"Kristina?" Dante called out in a panic, recognizing his sister. "Oh my god!" Dante doubled the stairs. "Are you OK?"

"I'm ok." Kristina promised as he wrapped her up in his arms.

"Are you sure?" Dante held her head. "Oh baby, your face. Let's get you to the hospital."

"It's just a scrape Dante, I'm fine. I don't want to go to the hospital." Kristina told him.

"What in the hell is going on here?" He demanded to Johnny.

"Your guess is good as mine detective." Johnny told him. "Ethan and I were just leaving dinner and we got shot at."

"Why in the hell was Kristina with you?" He continued to press.

"I wasn't." Kristina voiced. "I was at the sports banquet with Ryland."

"OK." Dante took a breath. "Collect witness statements and casings." He told the officer next to him. "I'm going to get you in a squad car and home." He pulled Kristina.

"I'm going to take her." Ethan told him abruptly.

"I don't think so. You and your buddy already got her shot at once tonight." Dante sighed.

"You can't prove that." Johnny shook his head. "Let Ethan take her home. I'll stay and give you a statement." He bargained. Johnny usually refused to give statements.

"I'll make sure she's safe." Ethan promised. "And I'll come by the station to give my statement tomorrow."

"Dante please. I want Ethan to take me home." Kristina spoke up.

"Fine." Dante sighed, giving up. "I want you to text me the minute you're home."

"I promise." Kristina kissed his cheek. "One more favour?" She asked.

"What's that?" He asked even though he knew what it was already.

"Please don't tell Dad until tomorrow?" She asked hopefully.

"Fine. But you do, first thing in the morning." He sighed. "And you'll have to come give a statement in the morning." Dante reminded her.

"I have to work." Kristina shook her head.

"You won't now, I'll let them know inside." He promised. "Ma will understand."

"Thanks." Kristina grabbed his hand. "I love you." She said for the first time.

"I love you too." Dante smiled. "Get her home safe." He told Ethan.


	26. Chapter 26: The Aftermath

"Here." Ethan took the key card from Kristina after he noticed her had wouldn't stop shaking long enough to slip it in the door.

"Thanks." Kristina sighed. She went through the door and flipped on the lamp next to the couch. He reached in the closet and pulled out the first aid kit she had used to patch him up. Quietly, he pulled out the alcohol swabs and gauze and crossed to her. He leaned her back on the window sill and carefully cleaned the scrape on her face. She winced at the sting and he gently blew on the cut to cool it. He used a light touch to spread antibiotic ointment on her face and carefully bandaged it up.

"How bad is it?" She asked.

"You're just as pretty as ever." He assured her. "It's just a scrape, it'll heal in a day or two. How are you doing?" Ethan asked.

"I don't know." She answered honestly. She looked at him helplessly.

"Come here." Ethan wrapped her up in his arms. He held her as she cried quietly.

"Thanks, I'm good." Kristina stepped back. He watched her as she began to move around the room. She reached up and took out her earrings settling them in the jewellery box on her dresser. She reached down and unstrapped her shoes and put them in her closet. She pulled out a pair of pajamas and slipped out of his jacket. She reached for the zipper on her dress and tugged. Because it was ripped it wouldn't give. Ethan reached out and closed his hand over hers on the tab. He held the pieces of her dress together and slowly worked the zipper until he was able to lower it. As it lowered on her back he took a deep breath and stepped back slowly. He turned around and walked over to the window while she changed.

"I have some of your sweats here from when you stayed last time if you want to change." She offered.

"You do?" He asked in surprise. He hadn't realized he left any of his things.

"I had them in the laundry when you decided to leave." She went to the bottom drawer or her dresser and pulled out the sweats.

"Thanks." He began to undress and her breath caught as he pulled his shirt over his head. She made herself turn away and pick up what was left of her dress off the floor while he finished getting dressed. She held it up to the light and examined the wreckage

"It's ruined." Kristina sighed. "There's no hope for it. Damn it, it was beautiful."

"It was nice but it was the woman inside it who made it beautiful." Ethan corrected her.

"Thanks." She blushed, turning away and hanging it on a hanger in her closet.

"You going to tell me about the guards?" He asked, sitting back on her bed.

"Anthony approached me again." Kristina sighed.

"What in the hell Kristina?" Ethan sat up. "You promised to let me know."

"I didn't want to put you in a bad place with Johnny. He's your best friend." Kristina told him honestly. She crawled up on the bed past him and leaned on the wall. "He didn't threaten me exactly. He has started calling me Kitty Cat and it freaked me out so I went to Johnny, who apparently went to Dad."

"Damn straight." Ethan rubbed his eyes. "Hence the guard and driver."

"I hate it." Kristina told him. "But suddenly after tonight, I don't think I'll question it again."

"I'm glad to hear that. Anthony's not to be underestimated." Ethan told her.

"Promise me you won't do anything stupid like ditch the guards."

"I won't." Kristina promised. "I'm scared what Dad is going to do to Anthony though."

"Listen, you tend to blame yourself for these things. I'm going to tell you again, you aren't to blame if anything happens to Anthony. He made his choice by approaching you. He knew what it would start." Ethan told her.

"Will you read to me?" Kristina asked. "I've missed that."

"I've missed it too." Ethan stood up and crossed to her bookshelf. "What are we on?"

"I didn't finish Wuthering Heights without you. I couldn't." Kristina smiled.

"Good, I was starting to think I might never get to hear the ending." Ethan pulled it out. He returned to the bed and they stretched out like they did before. She curled into his side and he slipped his arm around her and began reading.

* * *

><p>"Is it bad?" She asked Ethan. He had called up the Port Charles Herald paper online to see the front page.<p>

"It's a good picture of you." Ethan was careful. "The first one at least."

"Oh, god." Kristina rounded the desk and leaned over him in shock. The first picture was a picture of her and Ryland last night at the banquet. They were smiling and she had a glass in her hand. The shot under that one was of her, with her ripped dress hanging down and the blood on her face. In the picture, Johnny had his hand on her back after helping her up and Ethan was brushing a curl away from her face, which was turned towards him. The scrape on her cheek was much worse in the picture than what it was after a shower this morning, even though it had changed to a deep blue bruising. The headline read 'Mob Heiress moonlights as Rookie Princess in shoot out'. "OH MY GOD."

"Who are we going to see first, your Mom or your Dad?" Ethan sighed sitting back.

"We'll only have to do one, since they're both suicide missions and I won't make it to the next." Kristina shrugged.

* * *

><p>"I'm fine." Kristina repeated for the hundredth time from her position on her Mom's couch.<p>

"Tell me again what happened." Alexis demanded.

"The picture of you and Ryland is so sweet." Molly sat beside Ethan at the table. "The picture of you two is so tragically romantic though." She said excitedly.

"That's enough from you!" Alexis cried out.

"Mom, listen. I'm good, I'm safe and I'm going to see Dad to get that one over with." Kristina sighed, standing up.

"Do not leave her alone." Alexis pointed at Ethan.

"I won't, you have my word." Ethan promised. He followed Alexis to the door giving Molly a squeeze on the way.

* * *

><p>"Good news is I won't be ditching the guards again." Kristina led with that, standing in front of her Dad at his desk.<p>

"Don't try to be funny. This wouldn't have happened if you had had them last night." Sonny rose and came around the desk. "Are you really OK?" He asked, catching her face in his hands.

"Thanks to Ethan." Kristina told him. "He pulled me down and got me home."

"Thank you." Sonny reached out to give Ethan a handshake. "I can't thank you enough."

"She was one brave girl." Ethan told him. "I still have to take her into the PCPD to make her statement though."

"I'll have Diane go with you. It might not be good if I'm there." Sonny decided.

"Dad, do I have to take Diane? I only have to give a statement to Dante." Kristina tried.

"You never talk to the police without a lawyer." Sonny shook his head. "Even Dante." He picked up the phone.

"Diane will meet you outside the station." He told her a minute later. "We're going to need to talk about security too Kristina."

"Why?" Kristina asked, even though she knew the answer.

"This was the closest hopefully you'll ever get to the violence that follows me around." Sonny sighed, pouring himself a drink. "And most likely it was Johnny that was the target. But in the article in today's paper tells too many details about you, your life, even that you live in a dorm at PCU. We're going to have to take a look at changing that."

"Dad, I appreciate that. Right now, I appreciate that you try to keep me safe more than ever." Kristina took a breath. "It's March, there's only two months left of the school year. Maybe we could look at something for next year but right now, I want to keep going as I am."

"We'll talk later." Sonny decided to not push it right now.

"We better get going to meet Diane." Ethan spoke up.

"You're right." Kristina sighed. "I will give you a call and we can have lunch one day this week. Love you." She kissed Sonny's cheek.

* * *

><p>"Hi." Ryland was waiting at Kristina's door when Ethan brought her back from a long day of visiting family and the police statement she had to give.<p>

"Hi." Kristina said quietly. She had prepared herself all day for this.

"Can we talk?" He asked, adding "Alone." And eyeing Ethan.

"Kritsina's had a rough day mate." Ethan said easily, slipping the key in the door. "Maybe you could wait until later?"

"Ethan, it's OK." Kristina sighed. "I'll be OK."

"You sure love?" He asked, tilting his head.

"I am." Kristina nodded. "Thanks for everything." She leaned up and kissed his cheek.

"Call me if you need me." He told her, handing her back her key and heading down the hall. He opened the stairwell door and looked back, watching as Kristina and Ryland disappeared into her room.

"Are you OK?" Ryland asked, standing stiffly at the window.

"I'm fine." Kristina told him, sitting on her bed. "It was just a scrape from when Ethan pulled me down."

"That's good." He nodded glumly. "Listen, Krissy, I've been fielding calls all day. My parents are losing it, reporters are calling for interviews and my coach is riding me."

"I'm sorry." She said honestly. "I should have told you sooner."

"I wish you had of so I could have been ready for it." Ryland told her.

"It's hard to tell people." Kristina sighed.

"It's not hard to tell Ethan apparently." Ryland bit out. "I'm sorry. I don't think I can handle all these big brothers and old friends. I can't compete Krissy and I shouldn't have to." He decided that that was it.

"I understand." Kristina squeezed her eyes shut. "I'm sorry."

"Me too." He strode to the door without touching or looking at her. "Me too." He said finally stopping at the door and heading out it. Kristina collapsed into sobs on the bed.

* * *

><p>"How's Kristina?" Johnny asked, opening the door to Ethan.<p>

"I'm guessing nursing a broken heart right now." Ethan sighed, entering and pouring himself a drink. "Mr. Hockey was waiting for her when we got back."

"Crappy deal for her." Johnny acknowledged.

"She's had enough crappy deals." Ethan said sadly. "You'd think she could catch a break somewhere."

"Well, he obviously doesn't care for her that much if he's breaking up with her now." Johnny pointed out.

"Good point." Ethan agreed.

"He wouldn't be able to handle this world. Wouldn't ever understand it because he isn't from it." Johnny sighed.

"Neither is she." Ethan pointed out.

"Come on man, you really don't think he's breaking up with her because of the shooting, do you?" Johnny threw up his hands.

"What do you mean?" Ethan asked, downing his drink.

"Look at this." Johnny pulled out the paper and slammed it on the coffee table in between them. "Really LOOK AT IT. He can't compete with you. It's on her face man. She still loves you. Look at your face! I think it's time that you faced that and realized you care for her too."


	27. Chapter 27: Food for the Mood

"Oh, Krissy, this sucks." Casey stuck out her lip. "After how great you two looked at the party and everything!"

"I guess it wasn't meant to be." Krissy sighed.

"Well, this calls for an all out, no holding back, break up cheer up." Amber decided. "Casey, I'll do the extras, you do the food. We will reconvene here in two hours."

"I'm on it Batman." Casey jumped up.

"You." Amber turned to her. "Do not go anywheres. You need to get in the shower and wash your hair. You want to be clean for what we're about to do."

"Guys, I don't really feel like doing anything but wallowing right now." Kristina told them honestly.

* * *

><p>"TRUST US." Casey had promised. That had been hours ago and Kristina was glad she had. Casey and Amber had returned with billions of calories and a bajillion laughs. They had movies and make up and board games and music and hours of fun distracting entertainment that made Kristina forget about her breakup with Ryland, temporarily.<p>

"Kristina?" Sonny knocked on the barely open door. "Oh, my god." He stopped, staring in disbelief at the wreckage in front of him.

"Hi Dad." Kristina grinned from the floor. Littered around her were pillows and blankets and stuffed animals. There was undeterminable amounts of junk food laying around, including a chocolate fountain, marshmallows, and countless bottles of cream soda. There was music on two different stereos and on Kristina's TV there was a movie playing and they had dragged another TV in playing a different one. The girls had green masks on their faces and one had her hair in rollers while the other had hers in a shower cap.

"What's going on?" Sonny asked.

"We are on breakup cheerup." Amber announced.

"And Mr. Corrinthos, no offense, but if you are here on anything that could bring Kristina down from the happy high we have her own, there's the door!" Casey commanded.

"Kristina's the one who needs cheering up?" Sonny raised an eyebrow.

"Ryland broke up with me." Kristina told her dad. "But I'm good about it right now."

"Well, that's good to hear honey." Sonny decided. "I can see you're busy with your friends, so I will give you a call tomorrow and maybe we can have lunch?"

"Sounds good." Kristina smiled. She couldn't believe her dad had backed off.

"Love you."

"Love you too." He smiled, heading out the door and turned to Max. "Call a chineese restaurant and have them bring over a ton of food for the girls. And a pizza place – bring them a couple of pies. Make sure there's one without onions, Kristina hates them. Oh, and actually, call that Italian place that delivers and send over some pasta and stuff."

"Will do boss." Max replied. "They'll love it."

"I love it." Milo spoke up. "Maybe I'll join them." A loud burst of giggles came out of Kristina's room. "Maybe not." He rubbed his neck. AT Sonny's raised eyebrow Max smacked him on the back of the head.

"Good idea." Max mumbled. "You idiot."

* * *

><p>"Delivery." The man called out.<p>

"Another one?" Kristina laughed.

"Oh, my god, your Dad does go over board, but I love it!" Casey called.

"What is it this time?" She asked, opening the door wide. "Thai?"

"Sign here please." The man shoved a clip board at her.

"For food?" Kristina asked in surprise, scrawling her name on the slip. He handed her a large beige box wrapped with a green bow.

"That is not food." Amber announced as Kristina turned around and she spotted the box. "Oh, your Dad is good."

"Open it, open it!" Casey squealed, jumping up. Kristina carefully slid the ribbon off the box and lifted the lid. She grinned at the girls, folding back the tissue paper and put her hand to her mouth in awe.

"OH." She took a breath. "MY." She exhaled the breath. "GOD." She looked at the girls. "It's BEAUTIFUL."

"Wow." Casey sat back.

"Yaozas!" Amber cried. "Take it out, take it out!" Kristina reached in and pulled out the dress. The weightless material floated down. It was a strapless deep mauve with gold woven through the bust. It gathered in the middle of the bust and fell to the floor.

"This is so soft." Kristina cried.

"It is so perfect for you." Amber declared. "Your dad has amazing taste!"

"It's not from your dad!" Casey screamed.

"What?" Kristina asked in surprise. "What are you talking about. Who else would it be from?"

"This fell out when you pulled it out." Casey waved the card around. "Listen: _I owe you a dress. Love, Ethan._" Casey squealed. "LOVE Ethan!" She declared.

"Oh, my god!" Amber started jumping up and down on the floor.

"This is amazing." Kristina stared at the dress. It seemed to glow in the light. She carefully hung up the dress and picked up her phone.

_Thank you so much for the dress. It is amazing. You have perfect taste._ She texted.

_I knew it was made for you the minute I saw it. _Was the instant reply.

* * *

><p>"I am DONE!" Kristina threw her hands up in the air. "Now I just have to deal with finals!"<p>

"Congrats. Want to write mine now?" Michael asked. He was lying across her bed trying to write his English paper.

"Nope." Kristina stood up and stretched her legs at her desk. "You're on your own brother."

"Come on Krissy." Michael flipped over on the mattress.

"Nope." Kristina shook her head. "But I will edit it when you finish it."

"Thanks." Michael sighed. "I just can't think about school right now."

"What's going on?" Kristina asked, grabbing two cans of soda and settling on the bed with him.

"Well, Edward and I had a discussion about my courses for next year and lining them up a little more for the duties I'd have at ELQ next year." Michael explained, popping his can of soda. "And Abby thinks it's fantastic."

"And what do you think?" She asked.

"THANK YOU." Michael burst. "At least you ask me what I think. I feel like I don't have a choice in the matter. And I feel pigeon holed because while I don't want to fight with Abby about it, it's the only thing we're doing lately."

"I'm sorry." Kristina apologized. "Things haven't been going that well?"

"Don't get excited." Michael said sarcastically.

"No, hey. HEY!" Kristina got after him. "Hey, I never loved Abby but I never wanted her to hurt you. I learned through the whole thing with us when you tried to protect me from Ethan." Kristina reminded him. "I learned that I don't have to love who you're with as long as they're loving you." Michael stared at her with his mouth hanging open. "Ok, therapy helped too." She said sheepishly.

"Well, thank you." Michael grinned. "But seriously, I think that there are a few too many differences between Abby and I. She doesn't like how much I am like Dad and I don't like how much she doesn't like the person that I probably am."


	28. Chapter 28: Holding Up Friends

"Hey." Ethan knocked on her door. "Can I come in?"

"Of course." Kristina smiled. "I was just about to make some popcorn."

"Why don't we talk first?" He asked, sitting on the couch.

"Oh, god, what's wrong?" Kristina asked.

"Come here." He tilted his head.

"Just tell me." Kristina wrapped her arms around herself.

"Anthony died tonight." Ethan told her quietly.

"My dad?" Kristina asked, holding herself more tightly.

"No." Ethan shook his head.

"Yeah, right." Kristina scoffed.

"Kristina." Ethan stood up and closed the distance between them in two steps. He grabbed her chin. "I'm only telling you this because I didn't want you to blame yourself. It wasn't your Dad."

"How do you know?" Kristina demanded.

"Your dad doesn't touch drugs. Ever." Ethan told her. "You know that."

"He didn't do car bombs either." She said bitterly.

"He learned his lesson from that one." Ethan reminded her. "Listen to me. Really listen." He took a deep breath. "Anthony's been bringing in drugs underneath Sonny's nose. He's been dealing with some pretty bad people. One of the users knifed him during a bad deal."

"My dad probably set it up though." Kristina cried.

"You need to hear what I am telling you." Ethan grabbed both of her arms. "It is not your dad that did this. I wouldn't be here telling you this if it wasn't true. Do you trust me?" He asked.

"You know I do." Kristina told him.

"Then you know I'm not lying to you. I wouldn't lie to you especially something this serious." Ethan told her.

"Oh my god, I am so selfish." Kristina was shocked. "How's Johnny?"

"He's dealing with it." Ethan shrugged. "There are steps he needs to take that he's putting in motion."

"I feel so bad for him." Kristina sighed, walking over to sit on the bed.

"Johnny will be OK love." Ethan told her, sitting next to her.

"I should go see him." Kristina said.

"I think you should give it up some time." Ethan answered. "There are several reasons but right now, it's not the best idea to be around Johnny."

"He's going after the guy?" Kristina asked.

"You know how he feels about avenging death." Ethan reasoned.

"I could never figure out why he didn't use me to get even for Claudia's death." Kristina said quietly.

"I can safely say Johnny won't ever hurt you." Ethan reminded her.

"He has this theory." Kristina told him honestly. "And it freaks me out a little bit."

"What's that?" Ethan asked, kicking off his shoes and sitting back on the bed, leaning on the wall.

"He says that I'm just like Claudia." Kristina sighed.

"How so?" He inquired.

"He says that Claudia had to go through a lot of what I went through growing up as Anthony's daughter." Kristina turned to him and curled up into a ball. "He says that Claudia was so sick with her jealousy of the attention he got from Anthony that she pulled a million stunts to get his attention like I do."

"Yeah?" He asked.

"It scares me though." Kristina told him honestly. "It actually terrifies me because she went crazy and ended up doing so much damage and I don't want to end up like her." A tear slipped down her cheek. "It drove her crazy. What if it drives me crazy?"

"Hey." He reached down and gently caught the tear running down her cheek. "You are nothing like Claudia." Ethan told her honestly.

"I get crazy some times. I do stupid things when I'm trying to get something I want. I can't control the things I do, they just happen." Kristina outlined.

"Yeah, but you always fix them." Ethan reminded her.

"When I get angry, I get crazy and can't stop myself." She continued. "I say mean and hurtful things and there's no stopping me when I get going and-"

"Kristina." Ethan cut her off. "Stop beating up on one of my favourite people. Do I have to kick you?" He grinned trying to make her grin.

"No." She smiled feebly.

"I will if I have to." He decided. "Want to read a little bit while I'm here?"

"We only have a little bit left of Wuthering Heights. What are we going to do when it's over?" She asked, reaching around and pulling the book out of her bedside table.

"Pick a new one." Ethan shrugged. "Your turn to read by the way, don't even try to pass that to me."

"I can try." She sighed. She opened the book and began to read.

* * *

><p>"Hi Dad." Kristina said into the phone the next day.<p>

"Hi sweetheart." Sonny was cautious in case she blamed him for Anthony's death.

"I just want you to know that I'm going to see Johnny today and I didn't want you to hear it from anyone else." Kristina told him.

"I don't think that's a good idea honey." Sonny rubbed his temples.

"Dad, I know that you didn't kill Anthony. But I also know that a friend of mine lost their dad and if it was anyone else, I would be there for them too." Kristina told them. "It's not up for negotiations Dad, I'm going. But I will call you before I go in and when I come out so that you know I'm OK."  
>"Can I ask you something?" Sonny sighed.<p>

"What's that?" Kristina asked, glad he wasn't screaming.

"Why do you believe that I didn't kill Anthony?" He asked. "Usually I have to prove that I didn't and go through hours of arguing."

"Ethan promised me you didn't." Kristina sighed. "And it took me a long time to realize I need to start trusting the people in my life not to lie to me. I'll call you when I'm on my way in later. I love you." Kristina bid.

"Love you too." Sonny hung up the phone and stared at it in his hand. It took all of ten seconds for him to make it out the door.

* * *

><p>"To what do I owe this honour?" Ethan looked up at Sonny from behind the bar, continuing to write on the clipboard in his hand.<p>

"Well, I want to talk to you." Sonny answered, coming down the stairs and sitting at the bar.

"And you came to me?" Ethan threw back his head and laughed.

"What's so funny?" Sonny asked with a grin.

"Well, usually when you want to talk to me I end up with Max and Milo dragging me in." Ethan pointed out.

"We're past that now." Sonny shrugged. "I'm adapting a new attitude towards my daughter."

"Is that so?" Ethan asked, interested. "Do tell." He poured Sonny a drink.

"Well, forbidding her hasn't worked so well." Sonny pointed out, taking a drink. "Never does usually." Ethan shrugged, pouring his own.

"So, I've decided I'm going to go with it." Sonny told him. "See, she's telling me stuff now and while I don't like a lot of it, I've got to accept it."

"What brought this around?" Ethan asked, leaning back on the bar.

"I have no idea and when you have kids, you'll understand that." Sonny chuckled.

"Whatever you say." Ethan decided with a grin. "So is this what you needed to talk to me about?"

"Nope." Sonny took another drink and sat the glass down slowly. "You know, everyone keeps telling me you and my daughter are just friends." He took another drink. "But there's these nagging thoughts that just don't make sense to that."

"Is that so?" Ethan smiled.

"Yup." Sonny drank again. "But I give up. I'm not going to forbid my daughter to date you. I'm even not going to forbid her to see you. Because I won't win; we've already seen that. I'm going to go with it. If there's something there, there's something there. But let me tell you this." Sonny took another drink.

"If you hurt my little girl, I'm going to kill you." Sonny smiled.

"Point taken." Ethan sipped his own drink.

"There's one of those little nagging thoughts." Sonny drank his drink and stood up. "For the first time ever, you didn't come back with we're just friends." He strode up the stairs to the exit. "Oh, Ethan, one last thing." Sonny turned around.

"What's that?" Ethan asked quietly.

"Thanks for telling her I didn't kill Anthony. She believed you before she believed me." Sonny nodded.

"Give her time. She'll believe you too." Ethan told him honestly, hoping it was true.


	29. Chapter 29: Public Relations

"You look like hell." Kristina said when Johnny opened the door.

"Good to see you too." Johnny shrugged as she came in.

"How are you?" Kristina asked, setting down the parcels she carried on the table.

"I'm doing ok." Johnny told her. When she had put down the packages she had wrapped her arms around him, giving him a hug. He held on for a minute. "It's funny, you're the first person to give me one of those."

"A hug?" Kristina asked, looking up at him.

"Since my father." He acknowledged. She felt his shoulders stiffen. "I know he was evil and did terrible things," Johnny started to pull away.

"Stop." Kristina still held on strong. "No matter what he did, he was your Dad. And it's OK to be sad that you lost your dad." Kristina assured him.

"I just," Johnny's voice cracked. "I just," He tried again.

"Shhhh." Kristina quieted him and led him to the couch. "It's OK to cry too." She told him and wrapped her arms around him while he cried.

"Thanks for doing all of this Kristina." Johnny told her as they ate pasta at the table later on.

"You're welcome." Kristina smiled. "You still have to take care of yourself and you won't, so I will."

"You really didn't have to." Johnny told her. "I could have sent out for food."

"Are you saying my pasta isn't as good as some restaurants?" Kristina asked tilting her head.

"Your pasta is fantastic." He took another bite. "Where did you learn to cook like this?"

"My dad." Kristina shrugged. "He's like, a genius in the kitchen."

"Sonny Corrinthos is great in the kitchen?" Johnny asked, bemused.

"Yeah. When I was allowed to see him when I was little, we would spend the time in the kitchen cooking." Kristina shared. "What kind of things did you do with your dad?" She asked.

"Trying to make me remember the good times?" He asked, taking a drink of his beer. "There weren't many."

"That means there were some. Tell me." She asked, setting her fork down and leaning on her elbows.

"When I was like, eight, my dad took me fishing." Johnny started. "I wasn't catching anything and it was getting to the end of the day. My Dad had something tugging on his line and he brought it over real close so that our lines got tangled. When we brought it up, he insisted it was me who caught it."

"Oh, that's sweet." Kristina grinned.

"It was, wasn't it?" Johnny asked, starting to eat again. "I think I'm going to miss policing him sometimes."

"Have you made any arrangements yet?" Kristina asked, eating again too.

"There's going to be no service." Johnny told her. "It's just going to be me and the priest."

"Johnny, are you sure?" Kristina asked. "The service is more for the people around you, not him."

"I'm sure. I'm the only one who would go anyways." Johnny told her. "It's just going to be me and him, tomorrow morning at Queen of Angels."

* * *

><p>Kristina knocked on Ethan's door and stuck her head in, smiling at Ethan still wrapped up in blankets, trying to cover his head with the pillow. "Come on, we've got somewhere to be." She urged, approaching the bed.<p>

"Where? And why so early?" Ethan demanded, clearing his eyes.

"Trust me." Kristina told him. "We need to go: you've got ten minutes."

"Tell me again why we are here?" Ethan asked when they arrived, looking around the empty parking lot and warily at the building.

"Trust me." She told him for the tenth time, opening the iron grate and slipping inside the yard. She led the way over the grass and quietly stepped up to the two men. She silently slipped her hand into Johnny's and smiled when he looked at her in surprise. He turned his head when Ethan appeared at the other side of him.

"Shall we begin?" The father asked.

"Yes, please." Johnny squeezed Kristina's hand.

* * *

><p>"Can we talk for a second?" Alexis showed up at the restaurant the next morning during Kristina's brunch shift.<p>

"Sure, I've got a second. Want a cup of coffee?" She asked, pouring herself one from the station behind her.

"Sure." Alexis accepted and followed Kristina to a small table.

"What's going on?" Kristina asked, stirring her coffee.

"I'm concerned." Alexis stated.

"Why's that?" Kristina asked, wondering what she had done since the shooting to tick her mother off.

"This." Alexis pulled the paper out of her briefcase. "Page 12." She told her as Kristina picked up the paper.

"Oh." Kristina sighed, eyeing the picture. It was taken through the bushes at Anthony's service and displayed her holding Johnny's hand and her other hand resting on his arm, comforting him. "Can't these people respect anything?" She demanded. "I'm getting so sick of my picture being splashed across the newspaper for their sales."

"Look, Kristina, I know that your Dad has adopted this new 'let's see where it goes' attitude towards your life but I'm not subscribing to it." Alexis shook her head. "I'm not comfortable with your very public relationships with Ethan and especially Johnny."

"Mom." Kristina sighed. "If Chelsea's Dad died, I'd be at that funeral. Johnny has been good to me. He protected me from Anthony who had this crazy idea of a daughter for a daughter. It's not like I'm hanging out at his place all hours of the day and night."

"Go back to that daughter for a daughter theory for a second." Alexis asked.

"MOM." Kristina sighed. "I know you're worried and I appreciate it. But please, there's nothing to worry about. I'm just being there for a friend."

"I know." Alexis sighed. "But I was hoping at university that you'd meet some new ones that didn't carry guns or have so many connections to the mob?" She asked hopefully.

"I have." Kristina assured her. "And Casey and Amber might move in with us at the Lake House this summer. They might bring their guns though."

"What?" Alexis' eyes opened in shock and then smirked when she realized her daughter was teasing. "Very funny. How was my lead in, you know, the 'I'm concerned'? Was it a better choice than 'What in the hell are you thinking'?" Alexis asked.

"You're getting better." Kristina nodded. "You and Dad are working very hard."

* * *

><p>"Oh, god." Ethan sat up on the couch when Johnny made his way carefully down the stairs.<p>

"Are you alive?" Johnny asked, looking at him. He carefully sat down next to Ethan.

"Are you?" Ethan countered.

"I brought down asprin." He set the bottle on the table and poured himself a glass of water from the pitcher. "You might want some. You look awful Ethel."

"You aren't any better." Ethan rubbed his head, taking asprin as well.

"You're a good friend my friend." Johnny replied. "Not many would drink themselves under the bar with me over my father's death."

"I'm rethinking our friendship right now." Ethan replied.

"I'm hurt." Johnny sighed. "At some point, we are going to have to get up off the couch and find some food."

"I don't know if I can." Ethan told him honestly.

"It will make us feel better though." Johnny decided.

"I think that we need to hurt a little longer so that we remember this feeling the next time we decide to drink that much." Ethan countered.

"Still don't think you can stand, huh?" Johnny grinned but stopped as the bell rang. "Who the hell could that be?"

"Why don't you open the door and find out?" Ethan prodded.

"Only cause you can't stand up to get there." Johnny shook his head and made his way to the door.

"Morning." A young man stood at the door with white bags. "Here's your delivery."

"I didn't order anything." Johnny said perplexed.

"Is this the Penthouse?" The man asked.

"Yes, but-" Johnny began.

"Then it's for here." The guy handed Johnny the bags and turned around and left. Johnny closed the door and brought the bags to the table. He pulled out the cartons of food and found a note in the bags. "'Good morning boys. Hopefully the delivery didn't wake you but I figured you'd need something in your stomachs this morning. Love Kristina.' I love that girl." Johnny declared.

"She does have her moments." Ethan agreed carefully, picking up a carton.


	30. Chapter 30: Moving On

"Hi." Michael stood at her door as she was packing boxes with things she had collected over the year.

"Hi!" Kristina smiled.

"Can we talk?" Michael asked, looking around glumly.

"Michael, what's going on?" Kristina asked him, setting down the books she was packing.

"Abby and I broke up." Michael told her. "Last night."

"Oh, Michael." Kritsina gave him a big hug and sat down on the couch with him. "What happened?"

"I said I might only work part time for ELQ this summer so that we could still have some fun and she lost it." Michael told her. "Pretty soon we were fighting about business, then my dad, then just about everything."

"Are you sure you're done though? I mean, you did have some pretty strong feelings with her. Maybe when things calm down." Kristina thought out.

"No chance." Michael told her. "She was throwing my things out the door as we were fighting. I crashed on Dante's couch last night."

"Well, I guess that means you're moving back in with your mom." Kristina sighed.

"Nope." Michael shook his head. "I couldn't handle living with either Mom or Dad right now."

"Well, I can't see Dante and Lulu letting you crash forever." Kristina put in.

"I know. That's why I was thinking, are you really looking forward to moving home with your mom?" Michael turned to her.

"What do you mean?" Kristina asked.

"Do you really want to move home with your mother? I mean, you've been out on your own for the year and I can see Alexis will start to smother you again. You barely made it at Christmas." He reminded.

"That's true. But where else do I have to go?" Kristina asked. "I can't live with Dad, Mom would have a fit."

"Kristina Corrinthos?" A strange man asked from the door, holding a giant flower arrangement.

"Yes." Kristina took the flowers from him. "Thank you."

"Who are those from?" Michael asked as she sat the flowers down on coffee table. They looked ridiculous on the table as if it might collapse under them.

"I don't know." Kristina fished out the card. "_Thank you for all you've done to make the last few days bearable. You're a great friend and one classy lady. Johnny_." She read out loud. "Oh, they're lovely." She leaned in and smelled the flowers.

"What is Johnny thanking you for exactly?" Michael asked.

"When his Dad passed away I fed him and kept him company, that's all." Kristina told him. "He really has nobody but Ethan and I."

"I don't know if you should be hanging out with Johnny all the time. You did recently get shot at when you were with him." Michael reminded.

"Which is just as easily done as with Dad." Kristina reminded him. "I don't need another big brother lecture on this Michael."

"I'm just going to have to keep a closer eye on you." He got back to his original purpose of visiting. "What if we got a place, just you and I?" Michael brought out his plan. "It'd be perfect. You'd be safe living with me and I'd have someone around to keep me from going crazy."

"That could work." Kristina decided. "But we'd have to figure out a way to sell it to our parents."

"Well, you know Dad would pay the rent since we're both still in school." Michael explained. "We just have to find a place."

"And quickly, because I don't want to have to move home and then try to get out again. Mom might chain me in." Kristina laughed.

"You leave it to me. I think I know someone who can help us." Michael stood up. "I'll call you."

* * *

><p>"I need your help." Michael strode into Jason's place.<p>

"What's up?" Jason asked, shutting the door.

"I need somewhere to live." Michael explained.

"What happened to the apartment with Abby?" Jason asked, confused.

"We broke up." Michael answered. "Krissy and I want to get a place together but we need a way to make our parents OK with it."

"Well, I think you two might be a little young to have your own place." Jason reminded him. "And you two have never really lived together, how do you know you won't hate it?"

"If we do, we do." Michael shrugged. "But I don't think we will and I don't want to move home with Mom or Dad. Krissy is packing to leave the dorm for the summer anyways, so it' s just a good time to do it."

"Your Dad is looking for something to keep her safer next year than the dorm." Jason reasoned. "But he was thinking something close to the school."

"Hi guys." Sam smiled, coming in the door. Michael watched as Jason reached over and took a couple of bags from her and started to close the door.

"Wait a minute." Michael got excited, taking off through the door. "This is perfect." He turned to Jason.

"What is going on?" Sam asked as Michael moved over to the door across the hall.

"Dad's old Penthouse. It's just empty and it's right across the hall from you guys." Michael continued. "Alexis would HAVE to be OK with it because Sam is so close."

"Why would my mother have to be ok with whatever you're talking about?" Sam asked, still confused.

"Michael and Kristina want to move into a place together." Jason filled her in. He was starting to think that it might not be a bad idea.

"But Krissy's going home with Mom for the summer." Sam shook her head.

"Not anymore!" Michael smiled. "We've got a new place to live."

* * *

><p>"Can you tell me why they wanted us to have coffee together?" Alexis asked for the third time, sitting in Sonny's office at the restaurant with Sonny and Carly.<p>

"They just said it was important and that they'd tell us when they got here." Carly sighed.

"What in the hell are those two up to now?" Alexis cried out in frustration. "It's never good you know. First there was Mexico and then the whole Ethan and Abby thing."

"Calm down Alexis." Sonny sighed. "Come in!" He called at the knocking. Kristina and Michael headed in the door and Sonny smiled. "It looks like we're about to find out." He turned to Alexis.

"No." Alexis shrugged when the kids had finished talking. "No, no way." She shook her head. "Never going to happen."

* * *

><p>"I still don't like this." Alexis declared as she stepped off the elevator at the Penthouse. Jason and Sam were waiting in the hall. "Please tell them that it's a bad idea?" She pleaded to Sam.<p>

"It's actually not such a bad idea." Sam sighed, rubbing her Mom's shoulder. "At least they're going to be close and we can keep an eye on them."

"I think that it's a good idea Alexis." Carly said again.

"You're just happy that your son isn't dating a stripper anymore." Alexis hissed as Michael opened the Penthouse door.

"Come on Mom, come check it out." Kristina pulled her mother towards the Penthouse door. She didn't ever remember being in it but knew that it was nice from what Michael had told her. There was deep plush furniture covered by dust clothes and heavy drapes hung from the windows.

"This looks great." Kristina cried, heading over to the window. "Look at the view."

"How many times were you shot at here?" Alexis asked Sonny wearily.

"It's got bullet proof glass now." Sonny answered. "The kitchen is really great in here too." He supplied.

"Kristina, you could have the bedroom suite, I could use Jason's old room." Michael decided. "Girls need their own bathroom."

"This is why I love you." Kristina sighed. "Does it have a big closet?" She asked her Dad excitedly.

"The closet is fantastic in there. I had it redone myself." Carly piped up. She was remembering times that she and Sonny had shared in this place.

"We would have to redecorate a bit." Kristina said. "Some of it's a little old."

"Whatever. You can have a card." Sonny shook his head. "You know, this is actually a good idea." He decided.

"I don't agree." Alexis said stubbornly.

"Alexis." Sonny sighed. "The apartment's safe. There's already guards and Jason and Sam are right across the hall to keep an eye on them."

"There's bullet proof glass!" Alexis cried out.

"To keep us safer Mom." Kristina grinned, knowing they had won.


	31. Chapter 31: Settling In

_**I over did it and added a dozen chapters all at once last month - I think I should have spread it out some so it isn't so long in between entries. Back to school and reality means that they might be a little slower coming. I've got a few but am going to spread them out a little bit! Cheers - thanks for all your comments and encouragement: It means A LOT!**_

"This was genius." Kristina smiled, bringing a glass of water to Michael and sitting next to him on the couch. "Not only do we get a GREAT place, we get it fully furnished and with a complete kitchen."

"Yeah, I am so glad you did this with me Krissy, thanks." Michael told her. "I didn't want to have to go home."

"To tell you the truth, I was looking forward to being at home." Kristina admitted.

"I'm almost a hundred percent sure your mom would still let you go home." Michael told her, looking at her.

"No, only to get out of the dorm and have more than ONE room to go!" Kristina grinned. "It gets so boring, sitting in that one room. And, I can't wait to redecorate this place."

"Do what you want, I don't care." Michael shrugged. "Just please don't make it all pink." He grinned.

"I promise no pink, only since you gave me the best bedroom a girl could ever ask for." Kristina smiled. "I'm going to have to get a new bedroom suite though. The one in there is totally manly and I don't even want to think about sleeping in my father's bed."

"I think that's a good idea." Michael grinned.

"I'd really like your help though, I mean, we are both going to be living here." Kristina reminded him. "I'm not talking like hours of conferences here though, I'm talking ideas."

"Well, I'd like a new bedroom too." Michael told her. "Cause I just thought about the same thing you did, thanks." He grinned.

"Well, you're on your own there." Kristina laughed. "But, I don't have to work until tomorrow afternoon and we could go in the morning together."

"That sounds good, it'll probably be delivered the next day and we'll be in before we know it. Which is good, because you only have what, two days left at the dorm?" He asked.

"I can stay for three but would really love to get out of there since school's out, mostly everyone's gone and Casey and Amber are only here until tomorrow night. I'm driving them to the airport after work." Kristina filled in.

"Speaking of working, Mom mentioned you're picking up more shifts at work for the summer?" Michael decided not to bum her out by thinking about Casey and Amber leaving.

"Yeah, I'm going to cover Duncan's two week vacation in July for sure, and he asked Carly if he could work shorter hours for the summer so we're going to trade off the differences." Kristina explained. "I'm actually really glad to have something to do for the summer. It gives me an excuse not to hang out with all the girls home from university and just want to sit at the club all day."

"Hey, those girls are your old friends." Michael reminded. "You liked them."

"And I still do." Kristina confirmed. "But I feel like I've changed so much this year and that we have a lot less in common than we did."

"People change and still stay friends." Michael was optimistic. "And you've changed a lot too."

"I have." Kristina pulled her feet up under her. "I guess coming to terms with your family situation, moving out and getting shot at changes a person."

"Well, it's for the better?" Michael teased. "Come on, I'll take you back to the dorm before I head back to Dante's."

"Can you believe it Michael?" She asked, standing and picking up their glasses and putting them on the side board. "In a few days, we'll be living here and already home."

"It's going to be good little sister, it's going to be real good." Michael promised.

* * *

><p>"Oh, my GOD!" Amber cried out for the hundredth time since she came in the Penthouse. She and Casey had demanded to see the apartment on the way to the airport the next night.<p>

"I am going to LIVE in this closet." Casey decided, turning around and flicking on and off the lights in the shelves. "Do you even have enough clothes to fill this closet?" She demanded.

"Not yet but I'm going to try." Kristina grinned. "Do you see the shoe racks?" She asked gleefully.

"Did you see the purse shelves?" Amber asked from a corner of it. "Oh, my god, the jewellery has it's own set of drawers. And they're lined in gray velvet!" She crooned.

"There's a bench in the middle of the room that I could sleep on." Casey continued. "My stuff would be in boxes underneath."

"You're not moving into my closet but you will be spending some time here I'm sure." Kristina assured her. "I'm going to miss you guys this summer."

"Well, we're going to be rotting away back home working at the diner, so don't think about us. It's depressing." Casey sighed.

"Maybe, if I can arrange it, I'll take a few days off and come visit." Kristina decided. "I'd like to see where you come from and meet your families."

"Well, that is the thing that will carry us through." Amber decided.

"And dreams of this closet." Casey added. "As much as I don't want to leave, we better get on the road. It's a long road to hell."

* * *

><p>"That took longer than I thought it would." Michael looked around at the cleared apartment. He and Kristina had spent the last few hours clearing all of the things that they didn't like from the apartment. There was a mess of boxes and furniture in the lobby that good will was picking up.<p>

"Doesn't it feel good though?" Kristina grinned in excitement. "Now we've got a blank canvas for our own stuff."

"I'm sorry I wasn't more help." Michael cracked a soda and tossed her a can.

"I did expect a little more than 'I don't know, what do you think?' when I asked your opinion." Kristina teased.

"I told you in the beginning that I wasn't going to be much help at this." Michael defended. "You were warned."

"I was." Kristina decided. "But that doesn't get you off the hook because now I'm working on filling it and you have to like what goes in here."

"I like what you like?" Michael answered hopefully.

"Good try buster. I've got to get ready for work. You're sure you're good to stay for the delivery?" Kristina asked.

"Don't worry; I've taken the day off work. Edward is so happy I'm moving in near Jason, he's given me a few days off." Michael sighed.

"Well, you enjoy those. I'm going to enjoy my first shower in my own private bathroom." Kristina headed up the stairs.


	32. 32: Invitations & Forgotten Invitatation

"Mr. Quartermaine!" Kristina smiled warmly when Edward came off the elevator. "It is so good to see you."

"And you too my dear." Edward smiled, warmly hugging Kristina. "You know, I heard some lovely things about you from Brenda. She was so looking forward to having you as a stepdaughter dear."

"I'm sorry it didn't work out." Kristina told him. "But I understand why she left and honestly, I don't blame her."

"Well, none of us do dear." Edward sighed, waving it away. "Michael seems to be very excited that you and Michael are becoming roommates."

"I am pretty excited about it too." Kristina agreed. "It's going to be a lot of fun. When we get settled you'll have to come over for tea."

"I would love that. I am envious of you young people today. My generation was encouraged to get married right away and start a family while you are encouraged to live wildly and freely before tying yourself down." Edward sighed. "But I still think it's important to make the right career moves right away." He cautioned.

"Well, speaking of careers, Michael seems to be enjoying working over at ELQ." Kristina commented.

"I hope so." Edward confided. "It is his birthright and he seems to have a head for business. I want him to learn everything I can teach him."

"Well then he'll be the smartest guy I know." Kristina grinned. "Now, are you meeting someone for dinner?"

"Yes my dear, one of the executives. It'll just be the two of us." Edward followed her. "I'm a little early though."

"As soon as he's here, I'll bring him over. Can I let your server know if you'd like to start with a drink?" She asked as she settled him at the table.

"I think that if I didn't actually order a martini and it showed up at my elbow, I wouldn't be able to refuse it: even if I shouldn't." Edward whispered.

"I'll see what I can do." Kristina grinned, heading to the bar. While it was illegal for her to serve the drinks, she could pass along requests.

* * *

><p>"Hello Ethan." Alexis opened the door at the Lake House. "Come on in." She returned to an arm chair with the file folder she was reading.<p>

"Thanks. Hi Molly." Ethan joined Molly on the couch . "How's it going love?"

"Hi Ethan!" Molly grinned. "It's going very well. Mom has my computer locked up so that I'll broaden my horizons. So, I'm taking riding lessons and I actually really like them!" She shared.

"That's awesome. You'll have to show me sometime." Ethan smiled.

"Well, Kristina is an excellent rider and maybe she could give you lessons." Molly suggested. " You two could have a trail ride and take a picnic, it could be so romantic."

"Speaking of Kristina, is she around? I haven't seen her in a few days and I know the dorm is closed." He asked Molly.

"Didn't Kristina tell you?" Molly asked surprised. "She's shacked up with a wanna be thug." She imitated her mother to a T.

"Uh, pardon me?" Ethan asked Alexis.

"Kristina has moved in with Michael." Alexis sighed, flipping a page in the folder.

"With him and Abby?" Ethan leaned forward.

"Abby and Michael broke up." Molly answered. "Their differences proved to be too much for their unbridled love affair."

"That's enough Molly." Alexis sighed, taking off her glasses. "I am surprised she hasn't told you."

"I actually took a quick trip to see a rival floating casino and haven't really checked my messages yet." Ethan answered. "Where exactly are they living?"

"In Uncle Sonny's penthouse." Molly told him. "She's not working tonight so you could go visit. It's right next to Jason and Sam's."

"Thanks Molly." Ethan stood up. "Ride 'em cowgirl." He grinned and she giggled for the rest of the night.

* * *

><p>"Oh, I meant to tell you, I invited Edward for tea when we get settled." Kristina told him. They were spending the evening filling picture frames that Kristina had purchased.<p>

"I bet he loved that." Michael smiled, looking at the picture of the two of them taken when Kristina had been in the hospital fighting leukemia. It had been when he first found out he had a little sister.

"He did. He's so sweet." Kristina smiled, seeing the picture.

"I doubt there are very many who would call him sweet." Michael laughed. "Remember this?" He asked, holding up a picture of Josslyn, crying desperately.

"I remember. We were babysitting when she took her first steps and fell." Kristina grinned. "She was so pitiful, sitting there and bawling. She didn't even try to get up again."

"Until you stood her own her feet again." Michael added it in the frame.

"Sometimes you just have to remind them they can do it again." Kristina grinned. "Our first caller." Kristina looked at Michael when there was a knock at the door. "I wonder who it could be?"

"It's one of our mothers." Michael sighed as she jumped up and ran to the door.

"Behind door number one we have..." Kristina announced, throwing open the door. "Ryland." She stopped in her tracks.

"Hi." He smiled tentatively. "Can I come in?"

"Ah, sure." Kristina closed the door behind him and looked at Michael in a panic behind him. "Um, Michael, you remember Ryland?" She asked, covering her face.

"How ya doing man?" Michael stood up.

"I'm good thanks." Ryland answered. "Kristina, I know it's odd that I'm here but I was hoping we could talk?"

"Sure." Kristina was still surprised and confused at why he was there.

"I'll get out of your guys way. Thanks for saving me man, the pictures were getting to me." Michael grinned. "I'm going to head to pick up some dinner for us. I should be back in a little bit." He picked up his wallet and keys from the table.

"Bring some chocolate!" Kristina called out as he headed out the door. "So, what's up?" Kristina asked, sitting on the couch.

"I wanted to talk to you about how things ended with us." Ryland sat down beside her. "I feel awful about it and I was hoping that we could maybe have another chance?" He looked up at her.

* * *

><p>"Hey Michael." Ethan was coming in the lobby doors when Michael was headed out.<p>

"Hey. Ethan." Michael was surprised to see him there.

"I hear you and Kristina are living together mate." Ethan smiled. "I was just going to head up and see her."

"Um." Michael looked back to the elevators. "Actually, she's not in." He made a quick decision. It was up to Krissy if she told Ethan about Ryland visiting.

"Oh, Molly said she was home." Ethan asked, confused.

"She was." Michael nodded. "But she had to head out."

"Has she gone to work? I can stop by there." Ethan asked. "I just wanted to share some news with her."

"Look, Ethan." Michael ran his hands through his hair. "She's actually upstairs and Ryland's there with her." He gave up.

"I see." Ethan shrugged.

"Listen, I was about to go get some dinner. Want to join me?" Michael invited.

"Nah mate, I think I'll head back to the Haunted Star." Ethan shook his head. "See you later." Ethan headed down the steps.

* * *

><p>"What did you say?" Amber demanded on the phone the next day when Kristina had called to tell them the story.<p>

"What could she say?" Casey demanded on the third line. "Krissy, you better not have taken that sorry loser back!"

"Why not?" Amber asked, confused. "She did really like Ryland."

"That was before that stinking guy decided she was disposable!" Casey nearly shouted.

"Does anyone want to know what I did?" Kristina asked, missing her friends terribly.

"YES!" They both shouted at once.

"I told him that I think that it's best we're just friends because my family and my life isn't going to change." Kristina repeated.

"Good girl!" Casey triumphed.

"What did he say to that?" Amber demanded.

"He said that he guessed he had to respect my decision and that he hoped we could be friends." Kristina told them.

"And that's the end of that." Amber grinned.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kristina asked.

"Oh, Krissy, come one." Amber groaned.

"It's not like you two really can be friends." Casey said, wondering why she thought it was possible. "There's all that electricity, all that wondering what each little thing means, wondering if he wants more, etc, etc, etc..."

"I don't think it would be weird." Kristina decided.

"Well, take it from me." Casey reminded. "I have the most exes out of us-"

"Nothing to be proud of!" Amber cut her off.

"AND I am not friends with any of them. It'd be too weird." She finished, ignoring Amber.

"Well, we'll have to see. I told him we'd have lunch sometime soon." Kristina was firm. "It shouldn't be that weird."

* * *

><p>"Kristina." Ryland greeted when she came into Kelly's later that day.<p>

"Hi Ryland." Kristina smiled warmly. "Well, I didn't think lunch would happen so quickly." She grinned. "I'm alone though, so can I join you?"

"Sure." Ryland invited as Kristina sat down and the waitress that brought over a menu.

"Hi Kristina." She grinned. "Did you need this today?"

"No thanks Michelle." Kristina smiled. "I'll take the special."

"You got it." Michelle headed back to the kitchen. "I'll let Mike know you're here."

"Thanks!" Krisitna called out. "I gotta know something."

"What's that?" Ryland asked.

"Is it going to be weird for you to be friends?" Kristina blurted out.

"Huh?" Ryland looked at her blankly.

"I was talking to Amber and Casey and they thought the fact that I thought we could be friends wasn't going to happen because it would be too weird." Kristina explained.

"I'm going to do my best not to make it weird." Ethan decided. "What about you?"

"I don't even know why it would be weird in the first place." She smiled. "So, how come you decided to stay in Port Charles for the summer?"

"Well, the team is in two tournaments and we've got to run the hockey camps." Ryland answered.

Ethan went to pull open the door to Kelly's and stopped short spying Kristina talking with Ryland at a table inside. His hand dropped from the door handle and he stuffed it into a pocket while he just watched for a second while Kristina laughed at a joke that Ryland must have told.

"Going inside?" A man asked from behind Ethan.

"Huh?" He tore his eyes away, looking at the man confused.

"You're blocking the door." The man pointed.

"Sorry guy." Ethan stepped back and let the man pass. Hearing Kristina's laughter through the opened door, he decided that he would pass up the bowl of chilli he had been craving today.


	33. Chapter 33: Planning

"There's going to be a lot of work to do." Carly told Olivia and Kristina while they met over coffee at the restaurant. She had just outlined the plans for the big summer fundraiser they were sponsoring at the hotel in July.

"Are you sure you want me to help with this?" Kristina asked. "I have no experience doing anything like this and I don't want to be more of a pain than a help."

"Well, I think it's important to train you." Olivia decided.

"Plus, you know why it is so important to raise money for this cause. Battered women need help and support." Carly put in.

"She's right. You're perfect for this kid." Olivia grinned.

"Please don't call me kid." Kristina grinned. "It reminds me of when you found me at Johnny's apartment."

"That was a while ago." Olivia laughed. "We all get ourselves in trouble and need someone to kick our butts to see it's wrong."

"Well that one was a doozy." Kristina grinned.

"And look how far you've come now." Carly added. "So do you think you want to? There's no pressure but I think it would be good for you to learn this stuff."

"Then I'm in." Kristina decided. "Actually, it sounds really exciting."

* * *

><p>Kristina opened the door to find Ethan leaning on the wall.<p>

"Guess I missed the change of address card." He teased.

"I didn't tell you?" Kristina looked at him in shock. "Oh, god, I guess I didn't. Welcome to my new home?" She asked hopefully.

"Nice digs." He came in looking around.

"I'm sorry." Kristina sighed. "I can't believe I didn't tell you."

"I figured you were just trying to get rid of me." He shrugged, sitting down.

"You did not." Kristina sighed, sitting down with him. "Besides, I can't get rid of you, I already tried. What did you think that thing about you beating me was about?" She teased.

"Ouch." He laughed. "How's life?"

"I'm starting a new project with Carly and Olivia. It's a big fundraiser and I'm going to help organize it." She shared.

"Moving up in the world." Ethan smiled. "Excited?"

"I'm actually worried I might screw it up somehow." Kristina shared.

"What? Why?" Ethan asked.

"What happens if I forget to do something they tell me or anything?" Kristina asked.

"You are one of the most organized people I know." Ethan decided. "You won't."

"You have a lot of confidence in my abilities." Kristina smiled.

"I have EVERY confidence in your abilities." Ethan corrected.

"What did I ever do to deserve you?" Kristina asked sweetly.

* * *

><p>"Hey guys." Michael came home a few hours later and found Kristina and Ethan laughing on the couch together. "What's going on?"<p>

"We were just about to get some dinner together, want to come?" Kristina invited.

"I'm good. I want to finish unpacking my room. Mom sent over the last boxes and I don't want them sitting around." Michael sighed. "I can't wait until we're in and done and I don't have to hear about colors and contrast and decide if this would look cute or not." He said, sitting next to Ethan.

"Ha, ha, ha." Kristina threw a pillow from the couch at him. "You'll thank me when you have a nice place to live."

"Uh, technically, you have a nice place to live thanks to me." Michael reminded.

"A place is a place but it is not a home." Kristina shrugged.

"She's got you there mate." Ethan added. "I've been in a ton of places but none have felt like a home."

"I guess." Michael shrugged.

"And besides, I've made most of the decisions. I just want to make sure you can live with it." Kristina continued.

"Who's gonna check to see if I can live with you?" Michael raised his eyebrows as Ethan laughed.

* * *

><p>"So, I thought you said that you thought of Port Charles as home." Kristina commented as they ate at Kelly's.<p>

"I do." Ethan took a drink.

"Well you told Michael that you never lived in a real home?" Kristina asked.

"I meant like in a house." Ethan answered. "I mean, my foster parents tried, but I didn't ever really feel like it was my home. And since they died, I've been kicking around. And my room at the Haunted Star isn't exactly homey."

"Well, since you're putting down roots here, maybe you should start looking for an apartment." Kristina put it out there.

"Nah, I'm happy on the Star." Ethan shrugged. "It's fine for me."

"How was your trip?" She asked, sitting forward.

"It was good. I got some really good ideas for the Star. I'm actually going to go look at one more next week." Ethan told her. "Luke's coming with me this time."

"Well, let's hope this time you don't come home stabbed." Kristina teased.

"Point taken." Ethan laughed.

* * *

><p>"Hi Kristina." Lulu opened the door to the loft to find Kristina on the other side.<p>

"Hi Lulu." Kristina smiled.

"Come on in." Lulu invited. "Can I get you anything?"

"I'm good actually, thanks though." Kristina answered.

"He's going to be a few minutes, but Dante is on his way home with dinner if you want to stay; we always order too much Chinese." Lulu laughed.

"I'm not looking for Dante. I was hoping I could ask you a favour?" Kristina sat down on the couch with Lulu.

"Sure, what's up?" Lulu smiled.

"Well, Ethan and Luke are going away in the next couple of days and I was hoping to plan a little surprise for him. But I'll need your help." Kristina laid out her plan.

* * *

><p>Ethan boarded the Haunted Star and checked all the doors and locks like usual. He checked the wheel house and headed into the main casino to make sure everything was all right there. The casino had closed hours ago, Tracy had run the floor while he and Luke had been gone for the week. It had been an eye opening experience, seeing a larger ship run. He checked the books that had been left on the bar and smiled.<p>

"Tracy, you know your business." He grinned to himself. He grabbed a bottle of water and headed back towards his room to sleep for a week. He opened the door and flicked on the light and was shocked. The room had been redone. There was tan on the walls with a painting of large circles in turquoise hues. The bed had a brown and tan cover with turquoise pillows. There was a brown leather couch on one wall with book cases on either side. Sitting on a brown rug, there was a small coffee table held a big bowl with rocks in it. Next to his bed was a long dresser with a mirror and a tall boy was on the wall next to the closet. There were masculine touches all over the room that made the room feel so much better. There were a few pictures of his family, one of him and Johnny and even one of him and Kristina. His eyes fell upon a piece of paper on the bed. 'Welcome Home Ethan'. He smiled and picked up his phone. _I guess it really is Home Sweet Home now. Thanks. _ He put down his bag and looked around at the room, amazed at what she could pull off. His phone beeped and he picked it up to see her reply. _Home is where the heart is after all. _He picked up the photo of him and her and realized she was right, in more ways than one.


	34. Chapter 34: Supportive Siblings

"Krissy? You here?" Sam called through the ajar door.

"Hi." Kristina came from the kitchen and smiled to see her sister. "Come on in."

"Wow, this place looks great." Sam grinned, handing her one of the two cups of tea she had brought over.

"It does, doesn't it?" Kristina looked around the living room in pride. She had kept the colors neutral with accents of color in items. There were pictures of family and friends on the walls and on surfaces around the room. The couch was covered in a mound of different colors pillows that brought all the colors of the room together on one place. "You don't think it's too girly?" She wondered, nervous.

"Not at all." Sam shook her head. "Why would you worry about that?"

"I want Michael to be totally comfortable and happy here." Kristina sipped her tea.

"It's your home too. Why would you care if Michael is totally happy here?" Sam inquired.

"Full disclosure?" Kristina sighed and Sam nodded as an answer. "I'm worried that Michael jumped into living with me only because he and Abby broke up. If they get back together, he would probably move back in with her."

"OK." Sam nodded. "What would be bad about that? You'd have the place to yourself."

"I don't like to be alone." Kristina told her greatest fear for the first time.

"What do you mean? You've been alone." Sam was confused.

"Ever since Keifer, I haven't been alone in a house." Kristina shared.

"I'm confused." Sam asked again. "How is that possible?"

"Keifer attacked me when I was home alone." Kristina sighed. "Mom barely leaves me home alone and if she did, I went out. I could be alone out and about, but not in an enclosed space. When I babysat, there were kids. When I was in the dorm, I always left my door open and people were walking by. Then when the guards were there, they were right outside the door." Kristina explained. "I still get jumpy if I am home alone."

"Oh, honey." Sam rubbed her arm.

"I'll think that I hear something behind me and a will have a little panic attack." Kristina shrugged. "So I try not to be alone. I was actually just going to go out because Michael just left."

"Look, if you are ever scared here you know you can come over to our place. We are usually around and we would love to have you around." Sam offered. "And, just so you know, no one gets into these penthouses without us knowing. There's guards downstairs, video surveillance of the stairs and then the one in the foyer out here."

"I know. And that's why I feel so safe here. But I'm pretty sure that I'm always going to worry if I hear a bump." Kristina explained. "The therapist told me that it was natural and that it would fade over time or if I was somewhere I feel totally safe."

"I'm glad you're still doing the therapy." Sam told her. "I mean, I know you aren't on the couch for hours a week or anything, but I think that it's good that you kept it up."

"Sometimes, it feels like that's the one thing that connects all the little dots of my life." Kristina shrugged. "There's stuff about dad, keifer, my being scared, unsure about everything and the whole crazy genes thing."

"Crazy genes?" Sam sought clarification when her phone rang. "Sorry." She dug it out of her pocket and signalled to hold on while she answered it. "Hi Mr. Pellott. Yes, I do have the files you requested. I am available to meet. Sure, I'll head to your office with them right away. See you soon." She shut the phone and stood up.

"Gotta go?" Kristina asked.

"I've got to go tell a man his wife is shopping when he thought she was cheating." Sam grinned. "This is a good one."

"That's funny." Kristina followed Sam to the door. "Thanks for the tea."

"You're welcome. And don't forget; our door is always open for you." She pointed to her door across the hall. They hugged and Sam headed into her apartment to head out.

* * *

><p>"Wow, look at this place." Lulu came into Ethan's open door. He was sitting on the couch reading a book. "You had a great decorator." She teased.<p>

"I came home and it was like this. Thanks for doing that by the way, it is great." Ethan shrugged.

"Usually I'd have no problem taking someone else's credit, but not this time big brother." Lulu entered and sat on the couch with him. "Kristina did all the work."

"I know Kristina's work when I see it." Ethan smiled. "But she told me you helped."

"I only helped by letting her in." Lulu answered. "But I did want to see how it turned out, that's why I stopped by. She has quite the eye for this kinda stuff."

"She does." Ethan agreed.

"She also has good taste in men." Lulu decided she was done beating around the bush. "The question is, is the man going to be an idiot and let her get away?" She looked pointedly at him.

"You'll have to ask the man she picked." Ethan shrugged.

"I'm pretty sure I am." Lulu countered. "Ethan, come on. You know she had that huge crush on you for the last two years and lately, I'm thinking it hasn't gone away."

"And in that two years, things have changed over and over for her. Not to mention that she's had a couple of young blokes hanging around her that are much better choices for her." Ethan reminded.

"A Spencer doesn't back down from something they want." Lulu countered.

"That's saying I want Kristina." Ethan leaned forward and rested his chin on his hands.

"Do you want her?" Lulu asked the question immediately.

"I don't know." Ethan told her honestly. "I just don't know."

"Well, Ethan, I'm thinking that you're just going to have to figure it out. Because if there's one thing that I know, it's that you shouldn't let someone you love slip out of your life while you're busy figuring things out." Lulu reminded.

* * *

><p>"You ready?" Michael asked, grabbing her hand as they stood in front of the church basement door.<p>

"I don't know." Kristina sighed. "I know Dr. Lane said this was something I should consider, but I'm nervous."

"Well, I'm thinking that you're strong and that you can do this." Michael decided. "And I'm going to be right here waiting for you when you come out."

"I guess I can then." Kristina gave him a brave smile. She opened the heavy door and stepped inside. She hesitated on the first step and nearly turned back when the door firmly shut, announcing her arrival. She took a big breath and continued down the steps.

"Kristina, I'm glad you made it." Dr. Lane smiled from a seat in the circle of women. "I've saved you a seat." She gestured to an empty chair opposite her. She sat down in the seat and clutched her purse nervously.

"It's OK to be nervous." The woman next to Kristina smiled warmly. "Everyone is their first time."

"It gets easier after the first share." Another woman spoke up.

"But no one shares at their first meeting." Dr. Lane assured her. "Now, shall we begin?"

* * *

><p>"I hope we didn't overwhelm you." A woman smiled tentatively at Kristina during the coffee break. "I'm Deb."<p>

"Kristina." Kristina smiled back and took a swig out of the bottle of water. "I'm not overwhelmed, actually feeling a bit better."

"Imagine how good you'll feel after your first share." Deb smiled. "It gets easier to talk about it."

"It seems like all I've been doing is talking about it." Kristina sighed.

"And feeling like you've been judged and pitied." Deb added. "Or at least, that's how I felt."

"Exactly." Kristina was a little startled at the fact the woman understood.

"That's why group helps get through to us to make breakthroughs." Deb grinned. "I really hope you decide to come back."

"I think you'll see me next week." Kristina decided immediately. "I should go though, my brother is waiting for me."

"We'll see you next week." Deb waved. Kristina nodded at Dr. Lane who was in conversation with another woman and mounted the steps out of the church. Michael was sitting on the church wall exactly where she left him.

"You are the best big brother alive." Kristina settled in next to him. "Thanks for bringing me and waiting."

"I'm always gonna be here for you." Michael reminded her. "So, how was it? If you want to tell me, I mean."

"It felt like listening to some of the thoughts in my head but someone saying them outloud." Kristina decided. "And, it felt good."

"So Dr. Lane was right in suggesting that you join the group now instead of the weekly therapy." Michael grinned.

"I guess so." Kristina nodded. "She was right. I've worked out most of my Daddy issues and now, I can start to heal from the abuse."

"Let the healing begin." Michael teased. "Come on, I'll buy you supper."

"You are so on." Kristina grinned, jumping up.


	35. Chapter 35: Major Decisions

"I was thinking." Carly started over their morning coffee. She, Olivia and Kristina were meeting about the fundraiser. "No burning jokes." She warned.

"Never dreamed of it." Olivia's eyes twinkled.

"Well, I was thinking of contacting the organization and asking if there was some way for the women to tell their stories." Carly shared. "I remember when General Hospital used to host the Nurses Ball, and one of the most poignant things about that event was hearing the people talking and telling their stories."

"That's a great idea." Olivia agreed.

"Battered woman are extremely private about their abuse." Kristina put in. "It's hard to talk about it with others."

"I never thought about that." Carly sighed, putting down her cup.

"You have to deal with people judging you and pitying you." Kristina shared. "I just joined a support group and it helped to realize there were others that felt the same."

"Good for you for joining." Olivia patted her hand.

"Well, I think that we should leave that idea for now before one of us gets called away." Carly got back on track. "Where are we at with everything?"

* * *

><p>"You know, I am really enjoying this benefit planning." Kristina shared with Michael as they ate supper.<p>

"You are so organized." Michael shrugged. "For me, it'd be like banging my head against a wall and drowning at the same time."

"It's actually fun, picking out the best of the best and weighing costs and ideas." Kristina decided.

"It's the same way when you decorated this place. You have a good eye for details and relish picking the right thing to please people." Michael shook his head. "I don't have the same urges."

"Well, here's one you might have." Kristina brought out an idea she had had late last night. "What if we invited Molly and Morgan for a sleep over? Molly's been driving me nuts and this way it could be a big family thing."

"Sure." Michael grinned. "It's pretty bad when we're in university and our hot Saturday night plans are having a sleepover with our little brother and sister."

"I guess that is bad." Kristina shrugged. "But I could care less."

"That's why we live together so well." Michael laughed.

"And, that I like to cook and you will do the dishes. I've got to get out of here for my kickboxing class." Kristina stood up.

"I'll clean up while you're gone." Michael grinned. "Like any good house wife." He called after her.

* * *

><p>"Are you busy?" Kristina asked, opening her Dad's office door a crack.<p>

"Never for you." Sonny smiled, putting down the file in his hands. "Come on in. I'll get a couple of lattes sent in." He picked up the phone and relayed the order while she sat down across from him.

"What's up?" Sonny asked, hanging up the phone and sitting back. "You've been so busy lately I'm surprised I'm getting a mid day visit."

"Well, I've been busy thinking." Kristina told him honestly. "I joined a support group for battered women. My therapist thinks that I'm ready to deal with what Keifer did and start healing."

"That's good. I'm proud of you." Sonny told her honestly. "You've come such a long way."

"And I'm throwing myself into this benefit that Carly is planning." Kristina added.

"Carly tells me it is you planning it and she's just along for the ride." Sonny countered as a waitress came in with their lattes.

"Hardly." Kristina laughed. "It's the other way around."

"Well, whichever way it is, she is very pleased with your work and from Carly, that's a very high compliment." Sonny reminded. "She doesn't always work well with others."

"Well, my work with Carly has had me thinking." Kristina decided to share her thoughts.

"About?" Sonny asked, interested.

"Well, it's no secret that I'm in pre-law cause I wanted to follow Mom's footsteps." Kristina said.

"No, really?" Sonny teased. "I would have never guessed."

"Ha ha." She grinned. "But, really, this year was boring for me."

"Heaven help me when you go look for excitement." Sonny sputtered, thinking of all the things she had been through this year.

"I meant academically." Kristina shook her head. "You're on a roll today though with the jokes."

"I try." Sonny grinned, sitting forward. "What are you trying to say Kristina?"

"I think I want to switch my major." Kristina said it aloud for the first time.

"To what?" Sonny was pleased that her announcement hadn't been that she didn't want to go back to university."

"I'm thinking Public Relations." Kristina sat forward. "I really enjoy planning these events and I'm good with people. That's a big part of PR."

"I agree." Sonny nodded. "But I'm a little nervous that you're thinking of chucking out a dream that you've had a long time for something you've done for less than a month."

"And that's why I need to talk about it and weigh my options." Kristina shared her reason for sharing with him. "And then, I'm going to have to make a decision and need help with breaking my mother's heart."

"You won't break your mother's heart." Sonny promised her. "You're going to disappoint her but that's not going to last because your mother is one of the best mothers I know and all she wants is you to be happy and safe."

"I hate disappointing anyone." Kristina sighed.

"And that's one of your biggest faults and attributes." Sonny reminded her. "I think you need to remember that it's your future you're planning for, not hers. And so, if you think that PR is going to make you happier than being a lawyer would, that's what you need to focus on."

* * *

><p>"It suits you." Kristina decided, standing in Ethan's doorway at the Haunted Star.<p>

"It does. The person who designed it knew me well." Ethan looked up at her. "Welcome to my home." He grinned.

"It is such a nice one." She raised her eyebrows and entered, sitting on the couch she had agonized over.

"What brings you by?" Ethan asked, settling in next to her, putting his boot up on the table.

"Random thoughts to change my life." Kristina shrugged, pushing his foot off the table, shooting him a look as she did so.

"Is that all?" He asked grinning while putting his boot back up. She looked at the boot and shrugged, putting her feet up next to his.

"That's all." She sighed. "I'm thinking of changing my major."

"To?" Ethan asked.

"Public Relations." Kristina answered.

"Why's that?" Ethan questioned.

"Because I think I could be good at it." Kristina shrugged.

"You are good at a great deal of things." He reminded her.

"Because I enjoy it?" She decided.

"Are you asking me or telling me?" Ethan pressed her.

"I'm not sure I guess." Kristina doubted.

"Don't start doubting yourself now, love." Ethan encouraged her. "You haven't before, don't start now."

"OK. I like working with Carly and Olivia on this benefit and I love working with the public on this job." Kristina decided. "And I've been bored at school this year. I thought that I wanted to be a lawyer." Kristina sighed. "But that history of law course that I was taking was the most BORING class ever. It didn't grab me like it did my mom. She told me so many stories of having to take it as an elective early in university and then just being riveted to it and being just drawn to the law."

"I've got a secret for you." Ethan started. "You're not your mother." He whispered loudly.

"But I thought I wanted to be a lawyer." Kristina reminded him.

"You are allowed to change your mind." Ethan reminded her. "If there's something you like more and think it will make you happier, then that's what you should do."

"Well, how about you tell my mom that?" Kristina asked hopefully.

"No chance in hell." Ethan laughed.

* * *

><p>Kristina took a deep breath. She fiddled with a crumpled Kleenex in her fingers. She looked around at the faces surrounding her and opened her mouth. "My name is Kristina Corinthos. I let my boyfriend beat me because I wanted a popular boyfriend that changed my life." Once she started, it seemed to pour out of her mouth.<p>

* * *

><p>"And what are you doing here?" Johnny asked, smiling at Kristina who was coming out of the women's dressing room at his gym.<p>

"I just got out of a class." Kristina smiled. "I'd give you a hug hello but I'm pretty sweaty."

"I can smell you over here." Johnny teased.

"How about you? Trolling the gym for women?" She asked brightly.

"Hardly." Johnny flexed a muscle. "I'm working on my guns."

"They're big and ugly enough." Kristina grinned. "But if you're done, I think I'll let you treat me to a smoothie at the juice bar. You can have yours with protein powder if you want."

"I think I could do that. But for the record?" Johnny asked with a grin. "I don't need protein powder."

"You goof." Kristina grinned. "Grab your bag, I'll meet you at the bar."

"I thought it was my treat?" Johnny asked, sitting down across from her when he met her at the juice bar.

"I'm in a generous mood." She smiled.

"I guess I'm the winner then." He laughed, taking a gulp. "You got me a pink one?"

"Smoothies are usually pink." Kristina grinned. "Pink and tasty."

"It is pretty tasty." He decided. "So, how's life?"

"Life is confusing." Kristina decided it was the best answer.

"That's not unusual." Johnny shrugged. "Our lives are always confusing."

"Did you ever want to go to university?" Kristina asked him suddenly.

"That's a weird question to ask me." Johnny eyed her. "But, no, I didn't. I fell into the business. I didn't have a choice."

"Did you want one?" Kristina sat forward.

"No." Johnny answered her honestly. "And I still don't. Having second thoughts on university? Thinking about joining your Dad in the business? Maybe I shouldn't be sitting here talking to you, I might get whacked."

"I would never let anyone whack you." Kristina smiled. "I would even jump in front of the bullet I think."

"Are you thinking of becoming a body guard? I'd hire you in a minute. You're terrifying anyways." Johnny laughed.

"Very funny." Kristina chuckled. "I'm thinking about public relations."

"Really? I think that that would suit you. You can convince any idiot to do anything you want, like pretend to date you." Johnny reminded.

"Thanks for bringing that up." Kristina nodded. "It's been what, a week since you last did?"

"About that." Johnny laughed. "Seriously? I think it's a good idea. I have always said that you were like a dog with a bone when it's something you want. And I also know, that you've got too much heart to become a heartless attorney."

"Good thing someone told me that before my fourth year of law school." She laughed with him.

* * *

><p>"Well, how was the big sleep over?" Alexis asked when Molly and Kristina came through the door of the Lake House.<p>

"It was so much fun. Kristina has outdone herself decorating the penthouse and I can't wait to get a place of my own just like that." Molly called, rushing off upstairs.

"Thanks. I've only got my baby left and you're convincing her being out on her own is the way to go." Alexis took off her glasses.

"Well, Dad is having the last penthouse remodelled for Morgan and they decided to move in together last night." Kristina teased.

"Don't even go there." Alexis sighed.

"Can we talk for a minute?" Kristina asked.

"It sounds serious." Alexis pulled her feet up onto the couch and patted the seat beside her.

"It kinda is." Kristina joined her mom. "It's about school."

"What about it?" Alexis asked.

"I'm thinking of changing my major." Kristina felt it rush out before she could stop it.

"You're." Alexis started then paused. "Thinking of what?" She squeaked.

"I know that I've always said I wanted to be a lawyer just like you." Kristina started.

"So you still want to be a lawyer?" Alexis asked almost hopefully.

"No, I wanted to be just like you." Kristina corrected. "I wanted to be smart and intelligent and independent and strong and kind and thoughtful and powerful and a force to be reckoned with."

"You are all of those things already." Alexis pointed out miserably.

"Being a lawyer wasn't what made you all of that." Kristina pointed out. "Being a lawyer defined your best qualities. And I think that I've figured out something that might define mine."

"And what's that?" Alexis asked, trying to sound positive.

"I'm thinking that it is Public Relations." Kristina answered. "I'm really good with people at the hotel and planning this event has been great. I'm learning so much and I'm thinking that it's what I want to try."

"Well, that's your job now. You can keep doing that while you learn to be a lawyer." Alexis pointed out. "Then you could volunteer for events and then still be involved."

"Mom." Kristina sighed. "I want to try this."

"Well, you might not be able to. The university programs are so hard to get into. They probably have no room." Alexis was almost cheerful.

"I've already talked to them and have switched programs. They can use three of my courses that I've already taken as my electives and I can take one each summer to make up for it so I won't graduate late." Kristina told her.

"You already did this?" Alexis asked, confused. "How did you do this?"

"I really want to do this Mom. We'll do it the same way we did it when I moved out. We'll give it a year, if it doesn't work out, I'll switch back to being a lawyer." Kristina grinned.

"I guess I'm just going to have to live with this one too." Alexis cried out in frustration.

"There there Mom, it'll be OK." Kristina soothed.


	36. Chapter 36: Caring to Share

"So, I've changed my mind." Kristina sat down at the table where Olivia and Carly were eating.

"About?" Carly asked.

"About my future. I'm going into Public Relations." Kristina shared.

"That is a perfect choice for you." Olivia decided.

"Thanks. But that's not all I've changed my mind about." Kristina told them. "I know it's short notice and the benefit is less than two weeks away, but I want to see about having some survivors talk about being beaten at the benefit. And I think I know a few that will volunteer."

* * *

><p>"You have done an amazing job." Carly told Kristina. It was the night of the benefit and they were making sure everything was done before the first guests arrive.<p>

"I just helped. Thanks for the opportunity Carly." Kristina shared. "And thanks for the dress."

"We all had to match." Carly shrugged. "And we do look so good." Carly wore a white dress that fell from a straight neckline to the floor with a plunging back. Olivia had on a strapless dress that curved to her body and flared out like a mermaid's tail at her feet. Kristina had a wide strapped sweetheart neckline white dress that was fitted to under her bust then came out in a simple A line, floating to just above her knees.

"Ladies, can I get a picture of you before it gets too crazy?" The photographer asked. "The power ladies behind the magic." The photographer grinned as the three ladies got together. With Kristina in the middle, Carly and Olivia leaned in and smiled widely. "Say 'magic'!"

"Magic!" They all called out together.

"Kristina, the one thing that I have learned over the course of all of these events is that you should enjoy them." Carly started.

"She's right. For goodness sakes, make sure everything happens but please, have fun tonight." Olivia reminded her. "Soak up every single compliment because there will be tons. Get your picture taken as much as you can and above all else, make sure you dance with handsome men tonight." She twinkled.

"Ladies, here come the guests. It's game time." Carly announced as the elevator doors slid open.

* * *

><p>"As the Official spokes person of the Coalition for Battered Women, I have to acknowledge the efforts of the women that organized this amazing event. Please help me in thanking Carly Jax, Olivia Falkenari and Kristina Corinthos." The spokeswoman started a warm round of applause. After a moment, Carly smiled and took the mic.<p>

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you. Your kind applause is misguided however. It needs to be for the survivors who have worked hard to get themselves help and are on the track to getting through what has happened to them and continue with their lives." Carly pointed out. "This evening we invite you to reach into your pockets and give generously to this worthy cause because every penny you donate is a penny towards these women's future." She waited for the applause to wind down again. "During this evening, you will meet some of these survivors who are sitting among you and you will hear their stories. This is very hard for these ladies however they are empowered by talking about it and taking back their lives is an important step to moving forward. Please join me now in beginning to make donations. I am starting off the donations by donating the hotel's services and the cost of the ball, as well as a personal ten thousand dollar donation." Carly's announcement prompted more applause.

* * *

><p>"Are you ready?" Olivia asked, stepping into the stages' eves and squeezing Kristina's shoulder.<p>

"As I'm ever going to be." Kristina had decided only this afternoon to share her story. She had been struggling with the decision since she had changed her mind about the women sharing. She was wondering if it was appropriate to share as an organizer, if it was too soon or even if her family would be upset with it. In the end, she realized that she had to do this.

"Well, then, let's announce you." Olivia decided. She gave the girl a quick hug.

"Hello again." Olivia walked out onto the stage. She waited a beat for the chatter to die down and the lights focused on her. "I'd like to bring out our last survivor of the night." She turned to the eves and as Kristina walked out, the audience sat in a shocked silence. Alexis looked at Sonny and he sat forward with his hand on his face. Michael exchanged glances with Jason and Ethan stood up in the back with Johnny, shocked to see her walking out. Kristina pulled her stool up to the mic and her eyes dropped as she adjusted to the bright lights.

"My name is Kristina." She started like all the others. "I am a survivor of physical and mental abuse at the hands of my first boyfriend." She took a breath and continued, just like she had practised so many times. "I was so happy to have the most popular boy in school as my boyfriend that I accepted when he told me that he hit me because I made him mad. He controlled me by giving me a cell phone that only he had the number to, he picked out my clothes so that I was always looked like what he wanted and then if I said anything he didn't like, he'd hit me." She kept her voice from breaking for the first time and felt better for it. "I was so scared of him yet loved him so much, I took the beatings as if they were my fault. I was hospitalized twice." Kristina paused as the pictures of her bruises were displayed on the screens next to her. A few gasps at the graphic pictures came from the crowd. "It wasn't until my family and friends rallied around me to make me feel safe and understand that this was wrong. It took a long time, a lot of love, so many mistakes that I lost count and I'm still working towards getting my life back. I have survived and I want to help others who may not have the love of the family and friends by collecting donations so that they have somewhere like the Coalition to turn to. Domestic violence against women does not discriminate against age and affects women and children all over the world. What you have seen tonight, these women that you have been introduced to tonight are the lucky ones. Help us help the unlucky ones." Kristina let her hand holding the mic fall. She looked up at the screen at the picture of her, bruised and her eye so swollen she couldn't open it. This was her worst she realized as someone started the applause and as it grew, she finally realized it was in her past and she wasn't that broken and bruised any more. She quietly stood up, without acknowledging the crowd and hit the button on the monitor so the picture disappeared. She slowly walked off the stage.

* * *

><p>"I am so proud of you." Alexis spotted Kristina approaching the table that her whole family had started to gravitate towards as soon as she came off the stage. Sonny sat with Carly and Jason, Sam was in between Jason and Alexis while Michael and Dante stood with Lulu and Olivia.<p>

"We all are." Sonny stood up and hugged Kristina as soon as Alexis released her.

"That was pretty amazing." Carly reached out and grabbed her hand. "How do you feel?" She asked.

"I feel like I can now relax and enjoy the night. I'm just waiting for someone to ask me to dance." Kristina grinned.

"I get the first dance with my daughter." Sonny said, waving away both Michael and Dante's hands. "And I may just not let her go." He grinned, twirling Kristina onto the floor.

* * *

><p>Kristina snuck out onto the terrace for a breath of fresh air. The benefit was still in full swing inside and the sounds floated out on the open air. She was proud of her involvement tonight. She was sure they had raised a large sum of money and when the total would be announced, she hoped to be right. Then Carly told her that they had made a third of that in the half hour following her share. She felt so good that she really made a difference.<p>

"You are utterly amazing." Ethan spoke quietly from behind her.

"I'm nothing special." Kristina grinned.

"I said utterly amazing, not special." He walked up towards her. "I had no idea how brave you were to get up there and share that, in front of the whole town."

"It was time." Kristina shrugged. "It's taken a long time."

"And you've helped so many women with your story." Ethan reminded. "Not to mention young girls because I'm guaranteeing that you opened their mother's eyes in there."

"If I helped one girl not get beat up, then I'm happy." Kristina smiled.

"And, I haven't told you yet tonight how beautiful you look." Ethan added.

"You are full of compliments tonight." Kristina laughed.

"They're true." Ethan shrugged. "But I have one complaint."

"What's that?" She asked patiently.

"I haven't gotten to dance with you yet. Your family is monopolizing your time." Ethan shook his head. "It's not fair."

"Well, then, let's rectify that then." Kristina laughed. "Come on handsome, we'll hit the floor."

"I'm feeling like I'd rather have you all to myself." He pulled her into him on the terrace and they started to sway on the thin notes of the music floating out the terrace doors. Kristina settled into his arms and listened to the music and sounds while she relished the privacy they shared.

"Um, sorry to interrupt." Olivia cleared her throat from behind them. "We need to close the evening Kristina."

"I'm coming." Kristina stepped out of Ethan's arms. "Thanks for the dance."

"It was entirely my pleasure." Ethan grinned wickedly. Kristina and Olivia headed through the doors and joined Carly to climb the stage.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we'd like to thank you for joining us this evening and helping us raise so much money for such a worthy cause." Carly began.

"I'm sorry to interrupt but I have one more donation." A woman stood up. "I'd like to make it in my late son's name, Keifer Bauer." She walked towards the stage while others held their breath. "Kristina, I'd like to give it to you." Kristina was frozen in her spot beside Olivia and Carly turned to look at her. Alexis rose in her seat in the audience and the movement made Kristina blink out of her frozen state. She took a deep breath and stepped forward towards the edge of the stage. When she reached down to the paper that Mrs. Bauer held out she met her in the eyes. In that moment she saw the pain through Mrs. Bauer's eyes and felt sorry for the woman.

"Thank you." Kristina grasped the edge of the paper and it hung between the two women. Kristina saw the change in her eyes but the pain in her chest registered first. When she looked down in shock at the bright red stains spreading on her dress, she looked back at Mrs. Bauer who held a gun to her own head. Kristina cried out, squeezing her eyes shut and hearing the gun as it exploded and she knew without looking that Mrs. Bauer was gone. She opened her eyes in time to see the floor rushing towards her and the lights, blurring by as the sounds of the crowd and screams thundered in her ears.


	37. Chapter 37: Waiting and Worrying

"KRISTINA!" Ethan yelled as she tumbled from the stage and tried to get to her through the throng of people rushing out. When he finally got to her, Robin and Steve were using anything to try and stop the bleeding. Sonny was holding Alexis back and Dante and Michael were pushing people back. Sam and Jason stood by, ready to do anything needed. Carly and Olivia were staring down from the stage in horror. Patrick and Matt were checking Mrs. Bauer. "Kristina." Ethan dropped to his knees and held her head. "Oh, jesus, Kristina."

"Ethan, give us some room!" Steve commanded, pushing him back. "We need to stop the bleeding."

"Ethan, come on." Johnny pulled him back. "Let them help her." Johnny grabbed him.

"She's got to be OK." Ethan declared. "She's got to be." He turned to see Patrick and Matt look at each other and step back from Mrs. Bauer. Patrick grabbed the table cloth off of the closest table and draped it over her body.

"Over here!" Robin called out when the paramedics came through the crowd. "I've got a young female who's had taken three gun shots to the upper abdomen." Steve told them.

"Pulse?" The paramedic asked as they began to strap her to transport her.

"Thready." Steve answered. "We need to get her to the ER and we need to get her there now."

"I'll call ahead have an OR prepped." Patrick called out.

"Matt, you get in this ambulance with me, you're the best surgeon I got for this." Steve commanded. The paramedics worked with Robin and Steve to get Kristina on the gurney and prepared to get to the hospital.

"We're losing her!" Robin called out as they strapped her down on the gurney. She had been monitoring Kristina's pulse and started to begin chest compressions. "Beginning CPR." Alexis cried out.

"Bag her." Steve grabbed the paramedic's blue bag and started to count it out with Robin. "We've got to get her there, NOW." Steve commanded again. Robin climbed onto the highest rung of the gurney and continued to press on Kristina's chest while the paramedics and Steve began to run the gurney to the elevator that Patrick held.

"They've ready and waiting." Patrick told him.

"We'll meet you at the hospital." Alexis called out.

"Come on." Sonny pulled Alexis to the stairs. "It'll be quicker this way."

* * *

><p>It was hours before they saw Steve, Robin or Matt again. The family was crowded in the waiting area and was spilling out of it. Alexis sat with Sam and Sonny, wringing her hands. Jason was standing with Michael and Dante, leaned against the far wall. Lulu sat numbly next to Ethan and Johnny sat across from him. Molly and Morgan were sitting at Carly and Olivia's feet.<p>

"Alexis." Steve and Matt approached the family, wearing blue scrubs covered with blood.

"How is she?" Alexis asked, raising.

"She made it through surgery." Steve told them. "We all know she's a fighter and right now, she's fighting hard. It was touch and go for a while in there but she came through. Dr. Hunter did most of the work, he can tell you more."

"The bullets were lodged in Kristina's chest and upper abdomen. We were able to retrieve the bullets and fix the damage that was done. There was a lot of internal bleeding and swelling. The miracle is that she made it through surgery. We nearly lost her twice on the table." Matt told them honestly. "So right now, we need her to stay unconscious and let her body start healing. We have her heavily sedated to keep her out, and like I said, she needs that right now. There is no way that she will wake up in the next few hours. I suggest you all go home and get some rest. Come back tomorrow, fresh and ready for the wait. It could be a long one."

"I agree with Dr. Hunter." Steve told them. "None of you will do any good for Kristina here right now. You will be most likely here a long time tomorrow."

"Can we see her?" Alexis asked.

"I don't think it will do any good right now for you to see her. She is still in recovery and going to be moved to the ICU soon. It would take a long time for everyone to go in one at a time." Matt answered honestly. "If anything changes at all, we will call."

"Thank you." Sonny told them. "We appreciate your hard work."

"OK everyone, you heard the doctors." Sam announced. "I know we will all be back here at some point tomorrow, so let's get going."

"Sam's right." Alexis spoke up. "Let's go home and get some rest." They started to stand and straighten. Hugs were given and prayers said. Lulu turned to hug Dante and Johnny turned his back to help Molly up and when he turned back towards Ethan he was gone. Johnny looked around and met Jason's knowing eyes.

* * *

><p>"Ethan." Ethan was staring intently through the glass at Kristina. "You shouldn't be here." Steve sighed, touching the man's shoulder. "It's restricted."<p>

"I'm not leaving without seeing her." Ethan turned to look at him. "Please mate, give me a couple of minutes with her."

"I can't authorize it." Steve shook his head. "Because I didn't see you and can't guarantee that a nurse could come back through here in seconds." He turned his back and heard the door open and close with a whoosh. As Epiphany rounded the corner, he smiled widely. "Epiphany, could I get your help over here?" He tried to turn her away.

"Did you let that sorry looking Australian in to see Kristina Corinthos?" Epiphany demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Steve shook his head.

"Good. I won't have to." Epiphany sighed. "It would ruin my reputation if it got out."

Ethan carefully approached the bed where Kristina laid, hooked up to countless machines that were eerily beeping. He looked down at her pale face and closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He reached out and touched her hand, which was so cold it had him scared.

"You need to fight and come back to me Kristina." Ethan bit out. "Your family is all here and you need to realize how important you are to all of them. And to me." He added. "You are so important to me that I'm not willing to hang around here without you. Come on Krissy, fight." He begged her. "Don't you dare give up. I don't think I can make it without you love." He squeezed her hand and leaned down to kiss her forehead carefully.

"Did you see her?" Johnny asked when Ethan reappeared in the hallway after everyone else had left.

"She is so pale." Ethan answered him. "She's so little and pale and cold." His voice broke.

"She's little but she's strong. And she's got a warm heart that will beat until it can't beat any more." Johnny grabbed him hard. "Don't you dare give up on that. She won't make it if we don't believe that she's going to." He gave Ethan a shake. "You came to Kristina when you were sick because you knew she was strong enough to fight for the both of you. Now, you have to believe it again."

"Ok." He knew Johnny was right.

"I'm guessing you saw Kristina?" Jason asked from behind them.

"I did." Ethan nodded. Jason waited for more, staring. "She looks so little in that bed and feels so cold. But she's a survivor and she'll claw her way back." Ethan told him.

"I've left guards. Ethan is the only one I've said that can go in, outside of the family." Jason told them. "Are you staying?" Jason asked.

"No." Johnny answered for him. "He's going to go home, get some sleep and he'll be back tomorrow. I am making him." He said authoritatively.

* * *

><p>"How are you?" Lucky asked when Ethan and Johnny came into the Haunted Star. He had filled Luke in and they were waiting for him there.<p>

"I'm fine." Ethan answered eyeing Luke. "Got another glass?"

"I've got a whole bottle." He sat it in front of Ethan. "How's Miss Corrinthos?"

"She's strong and she's going to make it." Johnny answered for him. "Can I have one of those too?" He watched Ethan pour the liquid into a glass then easily toss it back and repeat the motion. Twice.

"You get the glass." Luke sighed. "Cowboy's been telling me what he knows. Want to fill in the rest Dodger?" Luke asked after Ethan had slowed his repetition.

"It was going so well. Kristina got up there and told her story. We were dancing on the terrace when Olivia came to get her. She got up on stage and then the woman that I assume was Keifer's mother got up to give her a cheque. She insisted it went to Kristina and when she came forward to get it the woman shot her." Ethan replayed it in his mind, swigging his drink. "The blood showed up on her dress and Kristina just looked shocked. No one knew what happened and before anyone could do anything, the whack job put the gun to her own head and pulled the trigger."

"Steve and Robin kept her alive until she got to the hospital then she went into surgery. They were able to get the bullets out and repair the damage but she did flat line a couple of times on the table." Johnny told them so that Ethan didn't have to. "So now, she just has to make it through the night."

"That little girl has been through so much." Lucky sighed, sipping his ginger ale.

"Too much." Johnny agreed.

"Why does this crap keep happening to her?" Ethan demanded. "None of it's because of her or her father. This stupid Bauer family has tried to kill her so many times and they just keep breaking her down."

"And she's going to pick herself back up and shake herself off just like her father." Luke assured him. "He always does."

"And, that was the last of the Bauer's." Lucky reminded him. "Both of Keifer's parents have tried to kill her and neither of them succeeded in killing anyone but themselves."

"Is that the official police word on it?" Luke asked.

"It's open and shut. The same as Warren Bauer's shooting." Lucky shrugged.

"Now, do I have to sit outside your door to make sure that you don't go back to the hospital tonight?" Johnny asked.

"Nah, mate." Ethan told him.

"Cause Lucky and I will be here to stop him." Luke interjected. "I know you care about that little girl but you aren't going back there tonight because you're going to collapse if you keep it up."

"He's right man." Lucky told him. "I know that they aren't letting her see anyone tonight and you'll be better to her tomorrow if you get some sleep. And aren't hung over to boot." He took the glass out from under Ethan.

"Go to bed Ethel. I'll call you tomorrow to check in." Johnny stood up.

"Thanks Mate." Ethan stood up with him and headed the other way.

"We'll be out here keeping watch Dodger, just so you know." Luke reminded him. "I wasn't joking."

"I'll remember." Ethan made his way down the hall and through to his room. He walked in and looked around glumly. His eyes fell on the picture of him and Kristina. He thought back to the night that they had taken it. It was when he was hiding out with her and he had noticed that on the hours of pictures that had flashed by on her computer screen there hadn't been one of him. When he pointed it out, she grabbed her camera and leaned in to take one. They had ended up taking several with funny faces and many of them had made it on the screen saver. In this smiling one, her hair was pulled back, she had a shiny clean face without any make up and she was wearing a sweatshirt. How had he ever missed she had gone and grown up on him, he wondered. His finger traced her face through the glass and sighed, putting the picture down. Stripping down, he crawled into bed and said his prayers for the first time in a very long time. He laid there tossing and turning for nearly an hour before he got up, got dressed, and snuck off the boat.


	38. Chapter 38: Waiting and Wanting

"Ethan." Alexis was surprised to see him so early when she entered into Kristina's hospital room the next morning. "How is she?"

"No change." Ethan stood up. "You can have a turn." He gestured to the chair he had vacated.

"Thanks." Alexis leaned down, looking at her daughter. "She looks so little."

"Small but powerful." Ethan assured her. "She made it through the night so she's going to keep going."

"That's for sure." Sonny stood in the door way. "The nurses at the station said that the doctors are on rounds and should be here in a few minutes to update us." He settled in beside Alexis.

"They were in and checked her already." Ethan told them. "They wouldn't tell me anything though."

"You can stay when they tell us." Alexis told him. "Have you been here all night?"

"Most of it." Ethan answered then settled in on the windowsill in the corner to wait in awkward silence with her parents. It wasn't too long until Matt and Steve showed up at the door.

"Well, she made it through the night." Steve started with that. "And we told you that that was the hardest part."

"Kristina had no episodes through the night so that is a good sign." Matt added. "Her body has started to heal already. The blood we've given her to replace the stuff she lost is starting to circulate more freely and her counts are improving. The next step is waiting for her to wake up. That could take time."

"Dr. Hunter and I are of two different opinions." Steve told them honestly. "While he feels that right now, Kristina won't remember if you are here or speaking with her, I do. Studies have been made for both sides."

"Because Kristina is on so many pain pills, I don't think that she'll remember much until we start decreasing her dosages." Matt defended. "And that's not for another day or so."

"And I think that the more she knows she has family around her the more she'll start to improve." Steve offered. "It's up to you guys."

"We'll be here." Alexis assured them.

"There are quite a few of us." Sonny looked around the room and at the other woman in the bed on the other side of the curtain. "She has three brothers and two sisters and several friends that will be here. Is there any way to get her into a larger private room?"

"We are trying." Matt assured him. "There is one opening up later on this morning and she's first on the list for it."

"Thank you very much Doctors." Alexis added.

* * *

><p>"You can come in now." Epiphany announced to the crowd waiting around the waiting room. She had finished settling Kristina into her new room and her family had been waiting anxiously outside. Everyone in the family had showed up to wait for Kristina to wake up. Jason was splitting in between Sam and Sonny while Mike, Dante and Michael kept Morgan and Molly occupied. Ethan waited quietly on the outside of it all. "I've had housekeeping bring up extra chairs to put in there."<p>

"Epiphany, I am going to apologize ahead of time." Alexis smiled weakly at her. "We are probably going to overrun you here until we know Kristina is going to be OK."

"As long as there's no trouble, you are all welcome." Epiphany eyed Sonny. She had yet to forgive him although she had seen some of the better things he had done.

Alexis and Sonny entered the room and took up residence near Kristina's bed. The rest of the family settled into the chairs that lined the wall and began the long wait. Michael watched Ethan as came in and settled on the window sill, staring intently at Kristina. He knew how close he and Kristina were and understood what must be going through his mind because it was going through his own. Michael walked over and leaned on the wall next to him.

"She's strong willed. You of anyone knows that." Michael grinned. "She's going to make it."

"There's no question mate." Ethan replied.

"Hi everyone." Carly came in the room followed closely by Luke, carrying big brown bags smelling of Kelly's. "We've brought food so you can avoid the cafeteria."

"Hi." Alexis smiled. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Carly set down the bags and went over to stand by Alexis, laying a hand on her shoulder. "How is she?"

"She made it through the night." Sonny answered.

"That's a start." Carly decided. She looked directly into Alexis's eyes. "How are you?"

"Scared." Alexis swallowed. There was something that told her Carly knew how she felt and she felt safe telling Carly that although she had told everyone else she was positively fine.

"I know." Carly smiled. "I've been where you are, praying and waiting for your child to open their eyes. It's going to be OK. You have to have that faith."

"Thanks." A tear slipped down Alexis' cheek. "I needed that reminder right now."

"Any time." Carly promised. "Come on, you need to eat. I don't care if you're not hungry." She shook her head when Alexis began to decline. "You need to keep up your strength."

"Alright." Alexis agreed, heading over to the table.

"Here you go." Mike brought Sonny a pate over. "Same thing she said to make Alexis eat." He nodded at Carly when Sonny shook his head. "Or I send her over."

"I'll eat." Sonny considered his choices and began to slowly eat the food without tasting it. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." Mike looked down at Kristina and thought about the big batch of peanut butter cookies he was going to make her as soon as she woke up. He patted Sonny's arm and walked back to the chairs with the kids.

"Take a walk?" Luke asked from beside Ethan.

"Huh?" Ethan didn't hear him until Luke nudged his leg. "Sorry Luke."

"Take a walk? You look like you could use a break." Luke challenged him.

"I wish she could catch a break." Ethan sighed in frustration, sliding down from his seat. "I'm going to take a walk." He told Michael.

"I'll get you if she wakes up." Michael promised.

"How are you holding up?" Luke asked as they rounded the nurses station.

"I'm fine." Ethan replied.

"They all seem OK that you're there." Luke commented. "I thought maybe Natasha might give you a hard time."

"They've been too worried about Kristina to worry about me being there right now." Ethan decided.

"Well, if they start to give you a hard time, let me know." Luke told him. "I know that they haven't always been supportive of your relationship."

"No, they haven't." Ethan sat down and rubbed his eyes. "I don't care though. I'm not going anywhere. She has been there for me so much and she needs to know I'm here for her now."

"She knows." Luke promised.

* * *

><p>"How's she doing?" Matt asked quietly as he came into the room much later into the night.<p>

"No change." Alexis took a deep breath and pushed her hair back.

"Well, we're starting to settle in for the night." Matt started, checking her monitors. "I can see you've started the same." It was only Sonny, Alexis, Sam, Michael, Dante and Ethan left.

"I sent the kids home with Carly for the night." Alexis told him.

"You should really consider the same." Matt told them. "She is still not showing signs of waking up."

"Is that a bad thing?" Dante asked.

"No." Matt answered honestly. "Considering the damage done to Kristina and the amount of pain killers she is on, I don't expect her to wake up for a little while yet. That is why I think that you should all go home again and get some rest. It's going to be another long day tomorrow." He reminded them.

"I think that maybe Matt is right." Sam told her mother gently.

"When she wakes up." Sonny started to ask the question that he had been bothered by but didn't want to scare the kids. "When she wakes up will she be OK?"

"Like I told you before, the bullets didn't affect her spine and we've already seen a decrease in the swelling around the major organs, so she should be fine. Obviously, she won't be able to move much, but it's important that she doesn't so she doesn't hurt herself or tear anything." Matt told him calmly. "She will most likely be disorientated and confused."

"She's going to be scared." Ethan said aloud before he thought and they all looked at him. "Sorry."

"You're right." Michael agreed with him.

"Well, things look good here." Matt decided. "I am on call tonight. I'm going to head down to try and get some sleep but if anything happens I'll be here first and call you immediately."

"Thank you Dr. Hunter." Sam smiled. "I think then we should all head home and we'll see each other in the morning."

"Come on." Sonny stood up and helped Alexis up. "It'll be OK. Dr. Hunter is close and we can be back in minutes."

"I'll give you a ride." Dante told Michael. "Sam, you can come with us."

"I'll take Alexis." Sonny told them.

"You want a ride?" Michael turned to Ethan, who still sat on the window sill.

"Nah, thanks Mate." Ethan shook his head. "I'm going to stay on for a bit."

"You'll call if she wakes?" Alexis asked him after a minute during which she decided she wasn't going to argue.

"I will." Ethan told her.

"Thank you." Alexis told him. The family headed out of the room followed by Matt. Ethan stood up and stretched, making his way to sit at Kristina's bedside. He rested his elbows on the bed next to her and rested his head on his hands. He stared at her and sighed.

"You've got to wake up soon and let us all know you're OK Krissy." Ethan told her honestly. "I need you to tell me awesome I am. How smart I am. How handsome. You're the only one that does." He grinned. "You're the only person in this world who makes me feel good about being me. Bottom line here is that I need you to wake up. I need to see your smile. It's been too long without seeing your smile."

* * *

><p>"Ethan?" Elizabeth stuck her head in the dimmed room much later. The lone light over the bed cast an eerie glow over the room.<p>

"Hey." Ethan was still sitting in the same place her family had left him hours before.

"I brought you a pillow and a blanket since it doesn't look like you are leaving any time soon." Elizabeth brought them over. "You should try and sleep a little."

"I'm good." Ethan told her.

"Ethan, I've been asking and from what I can tell, you've been here for nearly 24 hours now." Elizabeth said. "I know you care about Kristina, but it's going to be no good if you're too tired to stay awake when she does wake up."

"I know." Ethan sighed. "I'm not going to leave her though."

"I figured." Elizabeth headed over to the door. "That's why I had housekeeping bring in this." She wheeled in a folded up cot. "IT's small and lumpy and totally uncomfortable, but you need something other than that chair to sleep on. Because you need to sleep." She pushed down either end and quickly made up the bed. She set it up directly behind the chair he was sitting in and wedged it up against the wall. "There. Don't make me get mean." She grinned. "Get some sleep."

* * *

><p>"Is Ethan still here?" Lucky asked Elizabeth at the nurses station.<p>

"Yeah. He hasn't left since yesterday, pretty much after she was brought in." Elizabeth sighed. "I got him a cot and told him he has to sleep. When I peeked in a little bit ago he was lying down. What are you doing here so late?"

"I'm on nights and there was a mugging. I came to interview the victim. I figured he'd still be here, so I came up to check on him." Lucky explained.

"Have he and Kristina begun dating?" Elizabeth asked. "I knew they were friends but I didn't know that close."

"He and Kristina have a very close relationship." Lucky shrugged. "I don't know what it's classified as, but I'm pretty sure the feelings run deep."

"You don't spend hours at someone's bedside if there's no feelings." Elizabeth sighed.

"Thanks for making him sleep." Lucky decided it was time to go. "Let me know if anything changes?"

"I will." Elizabeth nodded as he headed to the elevator.

* * *

><p>"Cowboy." Luke greeted when Lucky came onto the Haunted Star.<p>

"Hey Dad." Lucky smiled. Luke was in his element, standing behind the bar with a bottle of whiskey at his hand, a cigar clamped tightly between his lips and stacks of bills in front of him. "Good take tonight?"

"Nope." Luke shook his head. "Bad high rollers after we closed. You just missed them. What are you doing here so early in the morning?"

"I just came from the hospital. Ethan's still there." Lucky supplied.

"I figured that's why he wasn't behind my tables tonight." Luke shrugged. "How is he?"

"He's tired but won't leave. Elizabeth is making him sleep." Lucky shared. "I thought I'd grab a bag for him so he didn't have to stay in the same clothes at least. I'll take it to him in the morning at the end of my shift."

"You know the way." Luke waved his cigar. "No change in the lovely Miss Corrinthos?" He asked as Lucky headed towards the door.

"She still hasn't woken up. I don't think you'll see Ethan before she does." Lucky theorized.

"Tell him I'll swing by later tomorrow." Luke sighed thoughtfully.


	39. Chapter 39: Going Nowhere

"Hey." Lucky knocked lightly on Kristina's door.

"Hi." Ethan was sitting up on the chair.

"Did you sleep at all?" Lucky asked, handing him one of the coffees that he held.

"Elizabeth was going to kick me out if I didn't." Ethan took the coffee.

"How's Kristina?" Lucky asked.

"They won't tell me anything but no change." Ethan sighed. "I'm not family."

"Well, you're here and she knows that." Lucky firmly believed it. "I brought you some clothes and stuff so you can at least change."

"Thanks brother." Ethan was grateful. "And for not trying to make me leave."

"When Emily was sick, you had to drag Nikolas away from her side." Lucky's pain was a swift kick to the groin thinking of his best friend.

"I know he's your brother and all that, but please don't compare me to Nikolas." Ethan muttered.

"I think I'm trying to compare your and Kristina's relationship to one of the best relationships I know." Lucky raised an eyebrow. He couldn't follow up the thought however as Alexis came into the room.

"Lucky." Alexis was surprised. "Ethan." She looked at the cot in the corner and realized he was in the same clothes as last night. "Did you spend the night?"

"I did." Ethan told her. "I'm not leaving until Kristina wakes up."

"If I wanted you gone, you'd be gone. And I do want you gone." Alexis walked over to the bed and checked on her daughter. "But Kristina would want you here so you can stay until she wakes up."

"Thank you." Ethan said quietly. "It would have been a long wait at the nurses station."

"But when she does wake up, the over nights are over." Alexis warned him.

"I'm going to take Ethan to go get cleaned up." Lucky decided they needed to separate. "What are you doing? Provoking Alexis isn't the way to get on her good side." He demanded when they were in the hallway.

"I don't need Alexis on my good side. I need Kristina to wake up." Ethan decided.

"Come on, Elizabeth said you could use the room down the hall." Lucky sighed, leading him away from Kristina's room when Sonny came around the corner and headed in.

"Morning. How is she?" He asked, coming in to stand by her bed.

"No change they told me at the nurses station. What they didn't tell me was that Ethan spent the night." Alexis looked pointedly at the cot to draw Sonny's attention to it.

"Alexis." Sonny sighed. "We're going to have to let her make this mistake, if it is a mistake."

"Why are you all of the sudden OK with her seeing Ethan? I liked it better when you thought he was too old and trouble for her." Alexis hissed.

"Why are you so sure he's still wrong for her?" Sonny countered. "Look, we need to face facts. He's been in town for three years now and all he's been guilty of was being her friend. When she needed someone, he was there for her. Even after she blamed him for the beatings, he still watched out over her and made her feel safe." Sonny took a deep breath and sat down hard in the chair across from Alexis. "He's going to be around for a lot longer and if we don't soon face it and accept with it, we may be fighting a losing battle and we'll lose her."

"Good god." Alexis threw her face into her hands and shook. "I hate it."

"Well, he's not going anywheres." Sonny reminded.

"No, I hate when you're right." Alexis corrected him. "I didn't ever dislike Ethan. That's the problem. He's a likeable guy. He's just so different than what I predicted for her."

"Well, we don't pick who we fall in love with and I think that we both know that fact all too well." Sonny grinned.

"She may be one of the few things that we ever did right." Alexis decided. "At least, together."

"You got that right." Sonny belly laughed. "She is amazing."

"She's so much like you it scares me sometimes." Alexis added.

"And it makes me glad that she got all of your good stuff. Your brains and smarts." Sonny confirmed. "The rest is just nuts." Alexis burst out laughing.

"Mom?" Kristina asked feebly.

"Oh my god." Alexis jumped up and leaned over her. "I'm here Kristina." She reached for the call button.

"We're both here." Sonny leaned in to. "Don't be scared sweetheart. You're alright. You're in the hospital and everything's going to be alright."

"Dad?" Kristina was confused. "Hospital?" Kristina asked. "Why am I in the hospital?"

"Give me some room." Steve came running with Epiphany right behind him.

"She's scared." Alexis told him.

"Hi honey." Steve leaned down near Kristina's face. "It's Doctor Webber. Remember me?"

"Uh huh." Kristina whispered.

"You've come to see me a couple of times here. And I've taken good care of you every time. You're going to be OK, just like all those times." He assured her. "You're going to have to answer some questions for me."

"OK." Kristina admitted.

* * *

><p>"Whoa." Lucky jumped back as Matt ran past them.<p>

"That was Matt." Ethan took off with Lucky right behind him as they ran into the direction of Kristina's room. He went into the room right behind Matt while Lucky stood outside.

"Hi beautiful." Matt grinned, looking at Kristina. "Do you remember me?" Steve stepped back when Matt stepped up since it was his patient.

"You're Maxi's boyfriend." Kristina blinked. "Emma's uncle."

"That's right." Matt winked. "Do you remember my friend?" He nodded at Steve.

"Dr. Webber." Kristina answered. "Why am I in the hospital?"

"Right now I get to ask the questions but you're going to be just fine, I promise." Matt told her. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"I was at the benefit." Kristina thought. "It was going so well. I was dancing with Ethan. Ethan?" Kristina panicked, thinking something may have happened to him. "Where's Ethan."

"I'm here love." Ethan jumped closer so she could see him. "I'm alright."

"Kristina, what else do you remember?" Matt pressed.

"I was on the terrace, dancing with Ethan." Kristina squeezed her eyes shut. "I went up on stage. Carly announced the total. Another donation." Kristina's eyes widened and she started to cry. "Mrs. Bauer shot herself. Is she Ok?"

"I get to ask the questions right now." Matt reminded gently.

"She shot me." Kristina realized. "She shot me."

"She did. And we got you to the hospital really quickly and you're going to be fine." Matt assured her. "I've got to ask your family to leave for a few minutes so I can check you over, OK?"

"Ethan can come back too right?" She asked.

"He sure can." Steve promised.

"OK folks, let's give them room to work." Epiphany turned to Sonny and Alexis.

"We're going to be right outside honey." Alexis told Kristina.

"We'll be right out there." Sonny added.

"Then get out." Epiphany shook her head when neither of them moved. "You too." She pointed at Ethan. All three headed out into the hall.

"She woke up?" Lucky asked Ethan.

"She did." Ethan couldn't help grinning. "She's awake."

"Sam? Kristina's awake." Alexis said into the phone. "K."

"It's going to be OK." Sonny grabbed Alexis. "She's going to be OK."

* * *

><p>"MICHAEL!" Jason threw open the door to Michael and Kristina's penthouse. Michael was coming out of the kitchen with a bowl of cereal.<p>

"What happened? Is it Krissy?" Michael sat down the bowl and rushed forward.

"She's awake." Jason grinned.

"Let's go!" Michael grabbed his keys, forgetting about the bowl of cereal.

* * *

><p>"Kristina's awake." Dante rolled over and told Lulu. "I'm going to the hospital."<p>

"I'm coming too." Lulu jumped out of the bed at the same time he did and began throwing on clothes.

* * *

><p>"Morgan, Molly." Carly crept into her room where he and Molly had curled up with her the night before. They had fallen asleep and she didn't have the heart to disturb them so she had covered them with throws and slept in Morgan's bed herself. They made such a sweet picture, curled side by side. Molly slept on her stomach with a fist tightly balled at her cheek and Morgan slept sprawled out on his back. She reached down and shook them both carefully.<p>

"What is it?" Morgan rubbed his eyes.

"Is it Kristina?" Molly asked, sitting upright.

"It is. She's awake." Carly smiled at the kids. "Let's get dressed and head to the hospital."

* * *

><p>"Come on in." Epiphany held open the door for Sonny, Alexis and Ethan to enter. "The doctors are ready to talk to you."<p>

"Well, Kristina, you're a smart girl and you knew right away you were shot." Steve started. "And you seem to have no memory loss, so that rules out any memory loss that might have happened when you hit your head when you fell."

"Which is a good sign." Matt added. "You were shot three times. We got you right to the hospital and into surgery. We got all three bullets and repaired the damage they did. We had to give you some blood to get you going again but it looks like everything is working."

"Kristina seems to be responding well." Steve finished. "She has movement and memory, two of the biggest things we worry about after something like this. It goes without saying that she is a lucky girl."

"You are going to be our guest for a while yet." Matt told her. "And your job is to rest as much as possible so that you get better."

"I'm a little tired." Kristina told him.

"Then shut those beautiful eyes and get some sleep. I am guessing that in just a few minutes, you are going to have a whole crowd of brothers and sisters in here checking on you." Matt promised.

"Be careful to not tire her." Steve told Alexis. "Keep her calm and let her rest."

"We will." Alexis moved to take Matt's place at her bedside. Sonny headed in beside her.

"Where's Ethan?" Kristina asked.

"Here I am." Ethan stepped in behind Steve to see her.

"You'll stay, right?" She asked, her eyes drooping.

"I'm not going anywheres." He promised, grabbing her hand and giving it a tight squeeze and settling in on the chair.

* * *

><p>"How is she?" Michael asked, coming into the room before Sam and Jason.<p>

"She's going to be just fine." Sonny told him. "She woke up but she's sleeping again."

"She can remember everything and can move everything too." Alexis told Sam.

"Oh, thank god." Sam grabbed her Mom and hugged. Michael crowded into her bedside beside Ethan.

"Michael?" Kristina's eyes fluttered open. "Did I hear Michael?" She asked, confused.

"I'm right here Krissy." Michel leaned in and kissed her cheek. "I'm so glad you're going to be OK." Kristina's eyes fluttered shut again and she fell back to sleep.

"Hi." Dante came in the door with Lulu close behind. "How is she?"

"She woke up and it looks good. It looks real good." Sonny answered. Dante clapped a hand on his back and smiled. Lulu reached out and patted Ethan's shoulder then slipped to the side of the room.

"Kristina?" Molly burst into the room with Morgan right on her heels and Carly behind them.

"She's sleeping." Alexis jumped up and gathered Molly and Morgan close. "But it looks like she's going to be AOK." She promised.

"Are you sure?" Molly asked worriedly. "That's what they said about Ally. She had injuries similar to Krissy."

"Hey Molly, come here." Ethan spoke up and Alexis released her to walk towards the bed beside him. "Your sister is nothing if not a survivor, right? Take a look at her." Ethan tilted his head. "See what I see?"

"She's smiling." Molly realized. "She's smiling cause you're here." She told him honestly, wrapping her arm around him.

"Nope, it's cause you're here now." He smiled back at her.

* * *

><p>"Hi." Sam smiled at Kristina when she opened her eyes a while later. She had taken Alexis' place at her bedside opposite Ethan. "How ya feeling?"<p>

"Like I've been shot?" Kristina guessed.

"Not funny." Sam shook her head but she grinned. "Everyone's here." She told her.  
>"I can feel them." Kristina turned her head. "Hey Molly. Hi Morgan."<p>

"I'm glad you're OK." Morgan told her, approaching the bed.

"Me too." Molly told her. "Dante's here too." She grinned, pulling him close.

"Hi little sister." Dante smiled at her. "You're looking as beautiful as ever."

"I doubt that." Kristina nearly laughed.

"Bite your tongue." Ethan chided.

"We're all here for you sweet heart." Sonny came up behind Morgan and Molly.

"I love you guys." Kristina told them.

"And we love you." Alexis assured her from behind Sam. "But you do need to rest. We're going to clear everyone out of here so you can rest for a bit. We'll be right outside."

"You're staying right?" She turned her head to Ethan. "Please?"

"I'm staying." He confirmed.

"Come on guys, let's go get some lunch." Sam stood up. "We need to give her some quiet time to get some sleep. We can come back in a little bit."

"Hey." Michael ducked back into Kristina's room. "I brought you back some food."

"Thanks Mate." Ethan replied. "Just sit it down anywhere, I'm not hungry just yet."

"Dad and Alexis are starting to dismiss everyone. They're all going to go home and then come back after dinner." Michael told him.

"That's good. She can rest then." Ethan didn't take his eyes off Kristina.

"I heard them talking. They're going to let you stay with Krissy." Michael told him.

"I'm not leaving her until she wants me to Michael." Ethan looked at him.

"She won't ever want you to leave." Michael reminded him. "I've already told you, you're a good guy. You've always protected my sister and kept her safe. I know how Kristina feels about you and I'm starting to see that you feel the same way about her. I'm not going to put up a fight to make you leave. I'll have your back if our family does." He told Ethan sincerely.


	40. Chapter 40: Waiting for you to Catch Up

"Hi." Johnny stuck his head in to the darkened room.

"Hey." Ethan answered. "She woke up."

"I heard." Johnny came in. "How is she?"

"She remembers it and can move everything." Ethan told him. "It looks really good."

"I'm glad." Johnny let out a breath. "Where are her parents?"

"The doctors want her to rest as much as possible so they're home, resting too. They'll be back after dinner." Ethan told them.

"I'll go so they don't find me here. And they just left you here?" Johnny narrowed his eyes. "I'm surprised."

"They didn't have much choice." Ethan shrugged. "She wanted me to stay."

"And so you're staying." Johnny nodded. "You look awful. Have you slept?"

"They gave me the cot last night." Ethan nodded to the cot they had folded up to make room for her visitors.

"Did you eat?" Johnny asked.

"Michael brought me some stuff earlier on." Ethan gestured to the take out container. "I'll get to it."

"Ethan?" Kristina murmured.

"I'm here." Ethan leaned over her. "Still not going anywhere."

"Thanks." Kristina smiled. "Who were you talking to?"

"I thought I'd come by to make sure you really were alright." Johnny smiled, approaching the bed. "You gave us a scare lady."

"Sorry about that." Kristina grinned. "Do me a favour?"

"Anything except pretend to date you again." He teased.

"Take care of this guy?" She slid her eyes towards Ethan. "I don't want him looking any worse."

"Thanks a lot." Ethan pretended to be hurt.

"I was about to make him come get food and take a walk." Johnny told her.

"Do that." Kristina unthreaded her fingers from Ethan's. "Make him nap a little bit too. He looks like hell."

"Almost as bad as when he showed up stabbed at your dorm." Johnny shook his head.

"Hey now." Ethan objected.

"I will. Can I get you anything?" Johnny asked Kristina.

"I don't think." Kristina smiled. "I'll see you in a little bit. I'm just going to sleep a little more."

"Alright, you win." Ethan sighed. "But I will be back."

"I'm counting on that." She grinned. "Bring a book with you."

"So, now that she's awake, you've got some thinking to do." Johnny told him as they watched her through the window to her room.

"All I've been doing is thinking." Ethan rubbed his head.

"And what did you decide?" Johnny asked.

"I don't know." Ethan answered honestly. "She's been seeing Mr. Hockey again. She's talking about changing her major. She's moving on." He was scared it was true.

"Mr. Hockey hasn't been to the hospital yet and he has to know. It's been all over the news. I'm willing to bet that he isn't prepared to deal with this life of hers. Yet you haven't left her side." Johnny pointed out. "And she wants you there."

"I couldn't." Ethan faced the truth. "I couldn't be anywheres but beside her."

"Ethel, you're going to have to face some hard facts and deal with your feelings for Kristina." Johnny looked at him. "It's pretty clear to the rest of the world how you feel now that you've stayed beside her this whole time and the only person she wants around right now is you."

"She feels safe with me." Ethan sighed.

"She loves you." Johnny corrected. "And it's about time that you admitted that you really love her too. And I've said it once and I'll say it again, you're one lucky son of a bitch. She's the best thing that's going to ever happen to you."

* * *

><p>"Michael?" Kristina woke up and felt his presence.<p>

"I'm here." He grinned. "You're good."

"I know." Kristina smiled weakly. "Where's Ethan?"

"I made him go home with Johnny to take a nap. He'll be back." Michael told her. "I love you, you know that?"

"I love you too." Kristina told him. "Was it bad?"

"We were worried." Michael told her. "But there's plenty of time later on to tell you about it. You've got to stay calm and keep resting so you can heal."

"Mrs. Bauer killed herself, didn't she?" Kristina asked. "Please." She saw the hesitation on Michael's face. "I need to know."

"She did." Michael confirmed as tears began to slide off Kristina's cheeks onto the pillow. "But you don't have to worry about that Krissy. Please don't worry about that. You need to keep resting."

"I know." Kristina shut her eyes. "I feel so awful for that family."

"I don't." Michael said decisively. "I'm sorry Krissy, but I don't feel sorry for the son of a bitches that beat you down, threatened you, then tried to kill you."

"Michael." Jason said sharply from the doorway, walking in in time to hear his words. "You know not to be upsetting Kristina. It's not what she needs right now."

"I asked him." Kristina said feebly. "I think I want to sleep now though." Her eyes fluttered shut and she drifted to sleep. After a minute when he was sure she was asleep, Jason laid a hand on Michael's shoulder and nodded to the door. Michael sighed and stood up to follow Jason.

"What in the hell are you thinking?" Jason demanded. "You've got to control your temper with her right now."

"She asked me if Mrs. Bauer killed herself and I told her the truth." Michael defended himself. "Then she said how bad she felt for the family. I couldn't stop it Jason."

"I don't care if she says that she wants to speak at that woman's funeral." Jason shook his head. "You don't say a thing that could upset her."

"You're right." Michael sighed. "I'm sorry. I just hate that Krissy cares so much for others. The woman shot her for god sakes. And she feels bad for the woman." He said incredulously.

"That's one of the best things about Kristina. Her heart. It's also why she's most like your Dad. They over analyze and blame themselves. We don't want her blaming herself for this." Jason reminded. "She's had enough of that, don't you think?"

* * *

><p>"Hi guys." Elizabeth came into Kristina's packed room. "I'm sorry, but visiting hours are over." She stepped up to the bed. "Dr. Hunter and Dr. Webber know that you want to stay but think that maybe Kristina's had enough excitement for one day."<p>

"I agree." Alexis smiled at Elizabeth. They had been there for a couple of hours after supper and while Kristina drifted in and out of sleep, her color was improving and her spirits were high; laughing and smiling and making jokes the time she was awake. "We should go."

"You'll come back in the morning, right?" Kristina asked.

"We'll be back first thing." Alexis promised. "Well, I think we're going to take turns tomorrow so that everyone's not here all at once."

"I like when you're all here at once. Just like a real family." Kristina smiled.

"We are a family." Michael reminded her.

"A screwed up one, but we are one." Dante added with a grin.

"You can say that again." Carly laughed. "We'll bring back presents in the morning."

"I like that idea." Kristina agreed. "I like jewellery."

"She's your daughter." Sonny sighed, looking at Alexis. "But I'll get you the best jewellery money can buy when you get out of here."

"I'm holding you to that." Kristina laughed. "I'll see you in the morning." A round of 'love you''s and hugs went quickly and then the room was empty of her family. Elizabeth began shutting things down and checking the machines.

"Elizabeth, have you seen Ethan?" Kristina asked. "He said he was coming back."

"Lucky stopped by and they're just talking in the waiting area." Elizabeth answered. "Do you want me to get him for you?"

"No thanks." Kristina's smile was quick. "Let him enjoy some time with his brother."

"Well, I'm guessing it won't be too much longer until he comes back. He hasn't left your side you know." Elizabeth's eyes twinkled.

"He's a great friend." Kristina answered.

"I don't think you remember her very well, but Emily used to say the same thing about Nikolas." Elizabeth smiled and pulled the blankets around Kristina's small frame a little better. "And it was while she was in the hospital recovering from cancer that they realized what they meant to each other, even when the rest of the world already knew it."

"One can always dream." Kristina smiled.

"That's why you're only young once." Elizabeth's eyes twinkled. "To have fun, dream, and follow your heart." She patted Kristina's hand and headed out the door.

* * *

><p>"Hey." Kristina stirred. "You're back."<p>

"Hi." Ethan grinned, sitting up a little. "I've been here for a while."

"What time is it?" She asked.

"Still night." Ethan answered.

"I keep losing track." Kristina complained.

"It's OK. You just have to keep sleeping." Ethan reminded her. "You'll figure out what day it is later."

"You're still here. It must be late." She realized. "You should go get some sleep."

"I'm not going anywhere." Ethan told her. "Besides, you really don't want me to go."

"I guess you've got me there." Kristina grinned. He took a deep breath and realized he had to say it out loud and knew it was right to tell her.

"I think that you've got me here." He pulled their entwined hands to his heart. "I have tried to fight the feelings I have for you because it didn't seem right and god knows I've tried to not feel them, but they keep coming up when I least expect them to. I don't have a good track record here but I'm willing to try and start it by admitting that I think I love you."

"Am I dreaming?" Kristina asked. "I have to be." Kristina decided. "I have dreamed this so many times that I can't tell. Pinch me." She demanded.

"I've got a better idea." He leaned in and carefully and tenderly kissed her. When he drew back, he brushed her hair to the side and grinned wickedly into her eyes. "Still think you're dreaming?"

"No." Kristina decided. "I love you too." She told him honestly and squeezed the hand she still had with hers. "The difference is I know I love you. I have for a while. But I'll wait for you to catch up." She teased.


	41. EPILOGUE

Ethan watched as she floated down the aisle to stand before him. She was a vision in the sparkling white princess dress that showed just how tiny her small frame was then just spread out in miles of fluffy fuss. Her long brown hair was wound into curls that floated down around her face under the sparkling crystal headpiece she wore. Her brown eyes seemed impossibly larger and were glassy because of the threat of tears. He reached up and caught a tear before it fell from her lashes and grinned. Ethan turned and shook her father's hand as he handed her off to him. He took her arm and they climbed the three steps to the altar together.

Kristina barely heard the father's words of welcome and only remembered to bow her head because he did. She was caught, looking into Ethan's eyes and wondered how she had become so lucky for her dreams to have come true. He looked so handsome in the tux that she knew he hated but wore for her. His dark hair curling slightly around his ears as it escaped the leather band he had it tied back in.

They had drifted apart yet grew stronger together over the course of their relationship. She had finished her degree in PR and started working for Crimson immediately, while maintaining other clients at the same time. During that time he had started the Haunted Star again it was a huge success. He disappeared from time to time on an adventure with his father. They had broken up for a short time when she was starting up her business and had been too busy for the relationship however then realized that what time they could spend together was better than any time spent apart. She had met a French man through work in the Paris office and had had an affair and when she came home and admitted it he had spent months in a blind drunk seeking solace in any woman's arms. It was when Alexis had been killed in a car accident that they realized they had to stop trying to hurt each other because life was too short. They had managed to find their way back to each other and had been each other's support ever since.

"Who gives this woman to this man?" Father asked.

"I do." Sonny spoke clearly. His eyes locked with Kristina's in the strong message of love between a father and daughter. "And while her mother can't be here, I am pleased to say that she does too." Kristina's eyes glittered with tears again until Ethan reached out and gripped her hand while his eyes met hers and held them both steady.

"Kristina and Ethan have prepared their own vows to make to each other today. Kristina?" The father interrupted their stare. She smiled and nodded, passing her bouquet to Maxie who handed her the card she had carefully written out the vows.

"Ethan." Her voice was strong and carried through the church. "Today is the day that I realize my dreams of marrying my best friend. I promise to face any adventure we may go on together with the spirit of adventure that you have. I promise to walk beside you as an equal. I promise to support you when you aren't strong enough to support yourself because I believe in you. I promise to love and honour you to the best of my ability because you are an amazing man. I am so glad that you caught up." She smiled the smile and was glad to have a secret that was between them that only they would understand during these vows.

"Ethan?" The priest prompted. Ethan reached into his pocket and withdrew the card he had written his vows upon.

"Kristina, today is the day I win the biggest jackpot of my life. I promise for the first time to play by the rules for this marriage and hold you near and dear to me because you are the most precious thing I've got in my life. I promise to shorten my steps so that we can walk together through this life. I will support you even though you are strong enough for the both of us. I promise to take you on any adventure that I go on because there is no one I would rather have by my side. I promise to love, honor, cherish and protect you. I am so thankful that you waited for me to catch up." He grinned, touched that they had thought of the same way to end their vows.

"Please join hands." Father invited and they reached to grip each other's hands. "Kristina, repeat after me." Kristina repeated the traditional words while slipping a ring on Ethan's finger, then Ethan repeated the time honoured words as he slipped the ring on her finger.

"Ethan, you may kiss your bride." Father smiled broadly as Ethan stooped down and cradled Kristina's head, kissing her sweetly. When they withdrew, their smiles were huge and telling of their happiness. "Ladies and gentlemen, I am so pleased to present to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Ethan and Kristina Lovett."

The crowd around them clapped and cheered while Kristina and Ethan made their way down the aisle together and out of the church.

At the reception, Kristina and Ethan shared a romantic table for two while their friends and family surrounded them. Sonny and Kate shared their table with Sam and Jason and their twins Emily and Christian. Michael and his fiancé Gina shared a table with Morgan and Molly. Lucky, Liz, Cameron and Aiden shared a table with Nikolas and Spencer. Dante and Lulu sat with Luke and Tracy, joined by Carly and Jax. Robin, Patrick and Emma sat with Matt and Maxie and their son Drake and new born daughter Georgia-Jean. Casey, Amber and Johnny shared a table in the back and were laughing loudly over several bottles of champagne.

"Ladies and Gentlemen it's time for the first dance." Michael spoke into the microphone. Ethan rose and held his hand out to Kristina, helping her up from her seat. They made their way to the dance floor and Kristina stepped into his arms. They began to sway along with the music and Kristina rested her head on his strong chest. After a minute, a giggle escaped from her lips.

"What?" Ethan murmured, knowing exactly what she was giggling at.

"I was remembering the first time we danced together." Kristina tilted her head back and smiled up at him.

"You told me you were going to marry me some day." Ethan smiled.

"I was right." Kristina raised an eyebrow. "And I always like to be right."

"And I am so glad that you were right that day. I love you Kristina." Ethan told her honestly, cupping her neck and kissing her quickly.

"I love you Ethan." Kristina sighed when their lips parted and as they continued to sway contently, she settled her head back onto his chest and listened to his heart beat along with the music.


End file.
